Confident he won first fight, Deiveson Figueiredo planning KO of Brandon Moreno at UFC 263
Deiveson Figueiredo has unfinished business with Brandon Moreno, but he plans on closing out their chapter in the rematch.
Just two weeks after defending his title against Alex Perez at UFC 255, Figueiredo (20-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) fought Moreno in the main event of UFC 256. It was the quickest turnaround ever made by a UFC champion.
But Moreno (18-5-2 MMA, 6-2-2 UFC) proved to be Figueiredo’s most game opponent in years and took it to the champion for all five rounds in a back-and-forth “Fight of the Night” battle. Despite getting a point deducted for inadvertently striking Moreno with a low blow, Figueiredo thinks the fight should have been scored in his favor, not a majority draw.
“I didn’t see it as a draw,” Figueiredo told MMA Junkie. “I won that fight, despite everything that happened. From Friday to Saturday, I had an intestinal illness. I didn’t sleep at all. I went to the hospital twice. The second time I went to the hospital, I checked in at 8 p.m. I was released at 4 a.m. It was a painful ordeal. Even though I was sick, I won that fight.”
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The pair will run things back in the UFC 263 co-main event Saturday at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ and early prelims on ESPN+.
Looking to end their rivalry in emphatic fashion, Figueiredo vows to not leave it in the hands of the judges.
“Now that I’m healthy, I’ll show the real me,” Figueiredo said. “I’m confident I’ll knock Brandon out. This second time around, I’ll be able to show how much I’ve evolved. I had a complete training camp – almost four months. We studied him very well. I’m going to show him that I’m the true owner of the championship belt.
“I’m going to put on a show. I’ll be showing the world that I’m the rightful owner of the UFC flyweight belt.”