Former UFC Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo found himself on a short list for the 2020 Fighter of The Year thanks to a handful of masterful performances. His incredible year started with a controversial win over Joseph Benavidez in February, which he corrected by submitting Benavidez when the two met on UFC Fight Island in July and claiming the Flyweight title.
Figueiredo’s first defense came at UFC 255 when he headlined the PPV event against Alex Perez. “Deus da Guerra” pulled guard and snatched Perez’s neck early in the first and was able earn his first title defense without much adversity.
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That’s when the UFC called asking him if he wanted to headline UFC 256, just 21 days later, in a bout with flyweight contender Brandon Moreno. There was no choice but for Figueiredo to say yes and go for history. He and Moreno would go on to put on an absolute classic from start to finish, with the fight ending in a draw. The bout was so good that it was an instant Fight of the Year contender.
And while Figueiredo didn’t win, he set the record for the fastest turnaround for a fighter headlining a UFC event.
