DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO VS. JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ
Flyweight rivals Deiveson Figueiredo and Joseph Benavidez will once again fight to determine the new king of the division as the standout contenders meet in the main event of this weekend’s fight card on Fight Island.
The duo faced off earlier this year in Norfolk, Virginia, but the title remained in limbo as Figueiredo missed weight ahead of the bout, eliminating him from the opportunity to claim the vacant strap. After a spirited first round, the pair clashed heads midway through the second with Benavidez getting the worst of it, suffering a sizeable cut along his hairline. As Benavidez backed up, Figueiredo hunted him down, connecting with a straight right hand down the middle that brought the fight to a close.
With the first bout featuring a number of crucial “what ifs” and no champion crowned, running it back for a second time only made sense.
The biggest questions surrounding this rematch all stem from Figueiredo missing weight the first time around. Not only will all eyes be on the Brazilian when he steps on the scale Friday morning, but it also remains to be seen what kind of impact not making weight in their first meeting had on his energy levels and performance that night.
It will also be interesting to see what kind of adjustments each man can make after getting a feel for the other inside the cage back in February. It was a tight, competitive fight with both men landing solid blows up until the point where they clashed heads, so expect more of the same this time around.
