It seems that after the lightweight division, bantamweight has become one of the hottest and most important divisions, with a slew of solid contenders still in the mix. Recently, Petr Yan made it clear that he’s ready to shake up the whole division with his next fight. Just after his announcement, reports started circulating that Yan is hinting at a potential showdown with former two-time champion Deiveson Figueiredo amid Merab Dvalishvilli-backed him over Umar Nurmagomedov.
Recent reports show that Petr Yan told Russian outlet Ushatayka that discussions about a fight with Deiveson Figueiredo are officially underway. This indicates that Yan was talking about a fight where he suggested shaking up the whole division. Indeed, this matchup could seriously change the bantamweight scene. With both fighters being top superstars, fans will be up for a big treat, and after this fight, fans might see a shift in the division’s dynamics.
There’s no doubt both are big names. Figueiredo has showcased his class in the flyweight division and is currently on a winning streak, having defeated Marlon Vera in his last fight. Meanwhile, the former bantamweight champ, unlike Figueiredo, has just bounced back after three losses.
Both fighters have been champions in the UFC, highlighting their greatness, and it would be intriguing for fans to see them face off. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili has shown support for Figueiredo, snubbing Umar Nurmagomedov.
Merab Dvalishvili Pushes For Deiveson Figueiredo’s Title Shot, Snubs Umar Nurmagomedov
There’s been an unspoken beef between Umar and Dvalishvili for a while now. Dvalishvili doesn’t view Umar as a solid opponent and thinks he needs more time to reach the top. While Umar, known as ‘The Young Eagle,’ was hailed for a title shot after beating Cory Sandhagen, Merab doesn’t agree. He argues that Umar’s win against a single top-15 fighter doesn’t mean he deserves a title shot just yet.
In his words, “I think next title fight Deiveson Figueiredo deserves to fight for the belt. He beat one former champion in this weight class, one title challenger and he beat Rob Font. And Figueiredo is a former champion and he has a big name and he deserves it because Umar, he only beat Cory Sandhagen from top-15.”
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Meanwhile, with Figueiredo potentially booked for a fight with Yan, it’ll be interesting to see who Dvalishvili might get a title shot against if he wins over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306.
