UFC 300 featured an exceptional fight card that included a remarkable victory by Deiveson Figueiredo against Cody Garbrandt. Figueiredo, a former UFC flyweight champion, expressed his desire to face a former bantamweight titleholder as part of his path toward another title shot. At UFC 300, Figueiredo began the event with a convincing second-round submission win over Cody Garbrandt in Las Vegas. Having achieved this impressive victory, Figueiredo is now looking ahead to his next potential opponent.
Deiveson Figueiredo Presses for Inclusion in UFC 303 lineup
The UFC 300 event commenced with an important bantamweight fight between Deiveson Figueiredo and Cody Garbrandt on April 13. Since moving up to the bantamweight division, Figueiredo has achieved notable victories against Rob Font and, most recently, Cody Garbrandt. Figueiredo is now on the verge of earning a title shot in the bantamweight division.
The title picture in the division is becoming clearer, with champion Sean O’Malley expected to defend his title against Merab Dvalishvili. However, the second-ranked contender, Cory Sandhagen, is eager to avoid waiting for his rightful title shot and is actively seeking a fight against the undefeated ninth-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov. The winner of that potential bout will likely secure the next opportunity to compete for the championship after Sean O’Malley.
Deiveson Figueiredo is eager for a “dream fight” against Dominick Cruz, believing a victory over Cruz could propel him toward a bantamweight title shot. Despite his strong position in the division, Figueiredo specifically targets Cruz, ranked number 11.
Cruz has yet to respond to Figueiredo’s callout, and there’s no indication of when he might return to the Octagon. Cruz’s last fight was a TKO loss to Marlon Vera in August 2022, following consecutive decision wins over Pedro Munhoz and Casey Kenney in 2021. Only time will tell if this matchup will come to fruition.
