[ad_1]
The flyweight division in the UFC, once criticized for having too little fighters and fights too boring, was completely reversed by the man nicknamed “God of War”.
Deiveson Figueiredo finished Alex Perez via a 1 minute, 57 second guillotine choke of the first round on Saturday night to retain the UFC flyweight title in the main event of UFC 255 in Las Vegas.
The incredibly fast and explosive Figueiredo found Perez’s neck in a rush, locked in the choke and tightened until Perez patted. It was Figueiredo’s first title defense.
“I came into the flyweight division to knock out, to subdue everyone,” Figueiredo said. “To bring back the excitement, show the world the power of the flyweight division. I always thought I was going to save this weight class, because people don’t know my power.”
In 2017 and 2018, there were rumors that the UFC could abolish the flyweight division. The UFC traded Demetrious Johnson, who many consider to be the greatest flyweight of all time, to the ONE Championship in Asia in 2018, which appears to signify the final days of the division.
But Figueiredo and his dynamic, all-action style reinvigorated the 125-pound weight class.
“If you don’t like this guy, stop watching the fights,” said UFC President Dana White. “You have to find a new hobby if you don’t like watching it.
“Obviously I’m glad we didn’t [get rid of flyweight]. The division needed a little rebuilding. We rebuilt it, and here is the result. “
White told the post-fight press conference that Figueiredo will not return to Brazil after that fight and will instead stay in Las Vegas to defend his title again in December. The plan, White said, is for Figueiredo to fight lead contender Brandon Moreno, who beat Brandon Royval in the UFC 255 prelims.
Sources confirmed to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani early Sunday that Figueiredo and Moreno verbally agreed to fight at UFC 256 on December 12.
Figueiredo asked Moreno in his post-fight interview.
“Dana, make this happen,” Figueiredo said. “This is the fight I want to have.”
Figueiredo vs Perez was an absolute sprint. Perez landed a hard kick, then shot for an out on Figueiredo, who defended well. Figueiredo attempted to dive for a leg lock after the pullout attempt. Perez scrambled trouble, but in the transition Figueiredo clung to a guillotine choke. It looked like Perez was about to slip his head off, but then he had to type.
“This post is my ‘ABC’ – I started training in this post,” Figueiredo said through an interpreter in his post-fight interview. “It was the biggest mistake he could have made, and it was the biggest mistake a man could make in the Octagon.”
At the start, ESPN had Figueiredo ranked No.2 (behind Johnson) and Perez No.5 in the world in flyweight. ESPN also ranked Figueiredo No. 8 in the world in its pound-for-pound ranking.
The UFC 255 card took place in front of no fans at UFC Apex, a facility across from the promotion’s corporate campus.
Figueiredo manager Wallid Ismail said during the post-fight press conference that Figueiredo was “very disappointed” that he did not win a $ 50,000 Performance of the Night bonus on Saturday night. Ismail said Figueiredo was so upset that he wanted to return to Brazil, but he calmed down since and probably will remain to fight Moreno.
“I think we’ll stay here,” Ismail said. “We’re going to fight over the December 12 card and put on another show.”
Figueiredo (20-1) defeated Joseph Benavidez by submission in the first round in July to win the flyweight title. It was his second straight win against Benavidez, but the title was not on the line in February because Figueiredo had missed some weight.
Figueiredo, 32, has won five consecutive fights and is 9-1 in the UFC. The Brazilian slugger has 17 saves in 20 professional victories, dispelling the idea that flyweights don’t end fights. It was Figueiredo’s seventh UFC flyweight finish, which ties Johnson together for most.
Perez (24-6) had won three straight wins and 11 of his last 12 games. The California native was replacing injured Cody Garbrandt Saturday, the former bantamweight champion was supposed to move to flyweight and challenge Figueiredo at UFC 255.
Perez, 28, was coming out of a first-round TKO of Jussier Formiga via kicks at UFC 250 in June.
[ad_2]
Source link