The previous UFC titleholder remains to be hoping to tackle Merab Dvalishvili regardless of the setback.
Dvalishvili had a memorable run as UFC bantamweight champion. After defeating Sean O’Malley to win the gold medal in September 2024, “The Machine” stopped Umar Nurmagomedov in his first title protection. He then submitted O’Malley in a rematch and most lately defeated Cory Sandhagen by unanimous determination.
Dvalishvili is aiming to interrupt the document for many profitable title defenses in a yr. Whereas the 135-pound champion is eyeing a matchup with Petr Yan, Deiveson Figueiredo is hoping to emerge as a future challenger to Dvalishvili.
Figueiredo will face Montel Jackson within the co-headliner of UFC Rio. Talking to UFC Information forward of struggle evening, the previous flyweight champion stated he would not thoughts being Dvalishvili’s subsequent title challenger (by way of MMAJunkie).
“That’s how I see myself beating a man with an excellent document,” Figueiredo instructed UFC Information. “Merab is a man who fought everybody within the (division), nearly everybody, and received. For those who take a look at the road over there, I am the one one he hasn’t fought but. And the factor that stored me out of a title struggle with him was the 2 I tasted. It was a loss. Now I am again and I am able to win. Hopefully this struggle will occur and I will be the winner on Saturday. I need to struggle him and I hope the UFC offers me that chance.”
Figueiredo will doubtless want a powerful efficiency in opposition to Jackson and a few luck to get his subsequent shot at a title. Figueiredo has misplaced his final two fights. He misplaced a unanimous determination to Petr Yan in November 2024, then suffered a TKO loss to Sandhagen attributable to a knee damage.
Keep locked to BJPenn.com for Saturday’s protection of UFC Rio.
