Figueiredo Faces Uncertain Future After Third Straight Loss

Deiveson Figueiredo's slide continued at UFC 332, where he was stopped by Payton Talbott in just over two minutes Saturday night in Salt Lake City.

The loss marks three straight for the former flyweight champion, according to MMA Mania, who had already dropped contests to Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong before facing Talbott. The Brazilian is now 38 years old and has lost four of his last five.

Talbott's Size Advantage Proves Decisive

Talbott used his reach to stun Figueiredo early, then finished the job 130 seconds into the opening round. The 28-year-old challenger gave the veteran no room to recover, forcing the stoppage with a flurry of strikes. Figueiredo briefly regained his composure after the first shot but was overwhelmed by the relentless attack.

The Brazilian has not ruled out another cut to flyweight, where he once held the title. He wants a shot at division champion Joshua Van, though that fight appears unlikely given his current skid. If Figueiredo stays at bantamweight, a matchup with Aiemann Zahabi makes sense. Zahabi, ranked 13th, is coming off a stoppage loss to Sean O'Malley that snapped a seven-fight win streak.

Both fighters need a win badly. The loser of a potential Figueiredo-Zahabi bout would face an even deeper hole with little margin left.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Monday Morning Hangover: What’s next for Deiveson Figueiredo after losing third straight at UFC 332?