Video: UFC champ Figueiredo looks drained days before weigh-ins, eyes bantamweight move next

The UFC flyweight champion is only days away of his next title defense, but is also thinking further into the future of his career. Paired up against Brandon Moreno for their fourth fight, Deiveson Figueiredo reveals he wants to try the waters at bantamweight after his match on Saturday.

In an interview with Ag Fight, Figueiredo made it clear that the move would not be a permanent one, though he does eye a superfight with the bantamweight belt on the line. However, if former champion Henry Cejudo comes back from retirement and wins the title once again, ‘Daico’ says he would not take on his friend.

“My goal is to move up. I want to do this fight and ask for a fight at bantamweight. I want to test myself there. That doesn’t mean I’m leaving weight class for good. I want to test myself. If Cejudo has the belt, that guy is like a brother to me. I would never fight him. Today, he’s my brother,”

Nevertheless, I want to fight someone at bantamweight,” Deiveson said. “If Cejudo doesn’t take the belt, I’m asking for a title fight. Belt against belt. I own the flyweight one and I want to fight for the bantamweight one. If Cejudo has it, though, I’ll my brother with the belt and ask for another fight at bantamweight.”

Figueiredo, who seems to have a very tough cut to flyweight each time, looks pretty gaunt again days ahead of the UFC 283 weigh-ins.

In his last outing, Figueiredo (21-2-1) defeated Moreno in their third encounter, back in January 2022. Before that, the Mexican snatched the title from Deiveson by submission, in June 2021. In their first encounter, the pair fought to a majority draw, back in December 2020.

Now, Figueiredo and Moreno are expected to meet at UFC 283’s co-main event, on January 21. The card is scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and set to be headlined by a light heavyweight bout for the division’s vacant title, between former champion Glover Teixeira and contender Jamahal Hill.