Deiveson Figueiredo wants Brandon Moreno to earn a fourth fight with him.
Two months after winning a decision and going 1-1-1 against the Mexican fighter to bring the UFC flyweight title back to Brazil, Figueiredo isn’t interested in an immediately tetralogy, he said on this week’s edition of MMA Fighting’s Portuguese-language podcast, Trocacao Franca.
Reports indicated the UFC was planning on pairing them one more time for July. Figueiredo said he “didn’t know the fight already was in negotiation” and called his longtime manager Wallid Ismail to inform him he was still treating injuries on both hands and there was no way he would fight so early.
He’s also fed up of Moreno.
“This fight against Brandon Moreno doesn’t interest me,” Figueiredo said. “He was racist with me, his followers constantly coming to my social media calling me monkey, Brandon Moreno’s coach posted a picture of me with a monkey face. Because of this, I don’t find the fight interesting. This guy doesn’t deserve a title fight for his racist attitude. The fight to make is me against Kai-Kara France. … I want him to have his head .”
Kai-Kara France is 4-1 since losing a decision to Moreno back in 2019, winning his past three against Cody Garbrandt, Rogerio Bontorin and Askar Askarov.
The way his recovery is going, Figueiredo said he’s targeting a return to the octagon “by October or November.”
“[The finger injury] is not an injury that gets better overnight,” he said. I had an MRI done and requested that it be sent to the UFC. I have another injury [on the left hand] that I can’t hit pads, and that’s been bothering me. I’m only able to train grappling in the gym, no punches.”
France won a decision over Askarov this past Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, a result Figueiredo said he already expected because “he knocked out Cody Garbrandt and has great striking, while the Russian only has that boring grappling game of his.”
“That is why I want fight that guy. A guy who believes in his hands,” Figueiredo stated about the Kiwi flyweight. “I believe a lot in my hands, too. My jiujitsu and my wrestling are very important to me. This matchup against Kaikar France is a favor to me.
” I have to worry about his striking, it is so efficient. He has a dangerous overhand. His style is similar to mine. He throws a lot of overhands and can land strong hands .”
Figueiredo is a professional MMA fighter who has lost only twice, a loss to Jussier Formulaiga in 2019 as well as a submission against Moreno in 2021.. His list of victims includes Joseph Benavidez, Tim Elliott, Alexandre Pantoja and John Moraga, and he plans on adding France’s name to it later this year.
“[I will beat him] knockout, there is no question about it,” Figueiredo stated. He will trade with me. My hand will touch his and he’ll go down. If he falls but does not get out, I will submit him. [this fight] is very much like the one with Moreno. My hand touched his forehead and he fell to the ground. The bell saved him. When I had the choke in, the round was over.”
