Deiveson Figueiredo is on a mission to become the 10th fighter in UFC history to claim titles in two weight classes, and beating Petr Yan in the UFC Fight Night 248 headliner would be a big next step.
Former two-time flyweight champion Figueiredo (24-3-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC) is unbeaten in three fights since moving up to bantamweight in December. He’s already taken out former champion Cody Garbrandt and one-time title challenger Marlon Vera in his new weight class, but taking out a highly-regarded former 135-pound titleholder like Yan (17-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) would take his resume to the next level.
Things are firing on all cylinders for Figueiredo, he said, and he expects his momentum to continue when he clashes with Yan in a five-round bout on Saturday at Galaxy Arena in Macau (ESPN+).
“I’m feeling 100 percent, I’m feeling 200 percent,” Figueiredo said at UFC Fight Night 248 media day. “About to take on a great name, great dude. But he’s about to take on a big, great name as well. You can be sure I have a great strategy to finish him this Saturday.
“I spent a lot of time in the lower weight division but decided to move up. I did have a lot of success there, but I decided to move up and I found myself in this division. I feel great. My mind and my body are healthy. I think feel stronger and as you can see, I’ve been winning all my fights.”
The UFC bantamweight division is arguably the deepest weight class in the company, the title picture is only getting more crowded. Reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili is expected to defend against Umar Nurmagomedov, and Sean O’Malley is also lingering with hopes of a chance to regain the strap he lost in September.
A win for Figueiredo would put him right in the mix, and he said it’s his hope he can be the one fighting for gold in the near future.
“Saturday against Petr Yan, beating him will put me in great position to fight for the title,” Figueiredo said. “He’s a guy who is strong in the striking, and by beating him I want Merab after him.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.
