Former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo is now in the bantamweight. And although the fighter said that he is not aiming for a title shot right now, he shared the intention to soon try his skills to the division’s most powerful strikers, including Dominick Cruz and Sean O’Malley.
Figueiredo will be welcomed in the bantamweight division with a main card fight against Rob Font at UFC on ESPN 52 this weekend. Font is certain that he could handle the opponent but believes it won’t be easy.
“This guy has been fighting (Brandon) Moreno for the last 10 years, it feels like,” Font said this Wednesday at a pre-fight news conference. “There’s a lot of film on him. You know he’s going to bring it. You know he’s going to put on an exciting fight.”
Figueiredo is also confident about his skills and said his main focus right now is to win against Font and enter the rankings.
“I came to this division to test myself and to test my striking, so that’s what I’m focused on right now,” Figueiredo said. “I’m focused on the fight on Saturday, and that’s what I’m here for. Let’s see how this one goes. I’m not looking at a title shot right now, I’m looking to win against Rob Font to place myself in the rankings and see where it goes from there.”
Despite focusing on the closer event, Figueiredo shared his hope to face current bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley in the future alongside Dominick Cruz, who he deems one of the best strikers in the division.
“I would love to have the opportunity to fight (Dominick Cruz and Sean O’Malley),” said Figueiredo. “All the respect to both of them. I would love for the UFC to give me that opportunity to have the best striker of flyweight come over here and do that – not only Sean O’Malley, but also Dominick Cruz. I would love those two fights. If the UFC could perhaps give me those opportunities, I think they would be great fights to have.”
