Former flyweight titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo picked up his second bantamweight win recently at UFC 300. He submitted Cody Garbrandt and came out the victor. Since then, there has been much speculation about his next outing and opponent. Consequently, Figueiredo has Dominick Cruz in mind.
His second 135-pound scrap was no mere matter as Deiveson Figueiredo went up against a former champ, Garbrandt. Many peers and pundits had expressed their awe upon the matchup opening up UFC 300. The submission win for Figgy made him a legitimate challenger in the bantamweight division. Now, he believed a win over Dominick Cruz could help him land the title fight.
People are pushing some names, but what I really want is to fulfill a dream of mine...which is to fight Dominick Cruz...It would be amazing to fight at the McGregor event in June, that depends on [Dominick]. If he signs the contract, I'm ready. I want to fight him… I think he's a guy who can take me to a title shot. Deiveson Figueiredo to Luis Coutinho (@luis_coutinho) for Canal Encarada
‘Deus da Guerra’ had quite a chip riding on his shoulder after announcing his move to bantamweight post-UFC 283. Brandon Moreno closed the chapter on rivalry with Figgy with a TKO win (due to a doctor stoppage) and made the Brazilian move up a division. Now, he wishes to seize his momentum and face Cruz at International Fight Week.
After submitting Cody Garbrandt (14-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC), the former flyweight says he has high expectations from his new weight class. Dominick Cruz is not someone to defeat in order to get the title shot at this stage. Moreover, Cruz has not fought in a while. Petr Yan is another option, and a matchup between them could likely result in a title eliminator.
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Dominick Cruz: Two fighters with two title reigns in the UFC
Figueiredo boasts a grappling base. He trained in the Afro-Brazilian “Capoeira” style. His amateur MMA career shot off under the tutelage of UFC bantamweight Iuri “Marajó” Alcântara. ‘Deus da Guerra’ Figueiredo is 8-2-1 in his last 11 outings. Figueiredo has earned 18 of his 23 career wins via stoppage.
Figueiredo has won the flyweight title twice in his career. He defeated Joseph Benavidez in 2020 to win the flyweight title. Soon, he defended the title against Alex Perez and instantly became the most entertaining flyweight in the history of the UFC. Brandon Moreno dethroned him as the champion, only for Figgy to regain the title at UFC 270. In their final clash, Figgy lost to Moreno via doctor stoppage and ended his reign in the flyweight division.
On the other hand, Dominick Cruz is the first-ever 135-pound champion in the UFC. The UFC bantamweight division came into existence only after the promotion merged the WEC with the UFC. Cruz was the last WEC champion and the first UFC bantamweight champion as well. However, injuries made Cruz relinquish the bantamweight title.
After fighting in 2011, Cruz only returned to the octagon in 2014 because of injury troubles. Furthermore, it took him another 16 months to compete after that. Despite the long layoff, Cruz defeated TJ Dillashaw to become the undisputed bantamweight champion again. Injuries held Cruz back, and it prevented him from attaining the GOAT status in the sport.
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