With a first UFC title under his belt, Deiveson Figueiredo is now focused on becoming a two-division champion – and has eyes on a super fight with Henry Cejudo.
Figueiredo, 32, defeated Joseph Benavidez for the vacant flyweight crown in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 2 in Abu Dhabi, in a rematch of their February meeting.
The Brazilian won via a rear-naked choke at the end of the opening round having dominated his rival from the outset, which included two knockdowns and what seemed certain to be an earlier submission.
The win means Figueiredo becomes the third man to win gold at flyweight following Demetrious Johnson and Cejudo, with the latter vacating the belt upon announcing his shock retirement in May. Cejudo, who also held the title at bantamweight, has since teased a comeback.
Not long after his victory in Abu Dhabi, Figueiredo said: “I’ll accept a super fight if they want to give me one. I’ll move up to 135 [lbs]. I want to be a two-division champion, but I’m going to defend this belt as well.
"I’d like to have a fight at 135. I’d like to be the guy who brings back Henry Cejudo from retirement. He was looking for a worthy opponent and I’m that guy. Now I have the belt I have to train very hard. I’m the guy that everyone wants to beat. I’m the guy that everyone is looking at.”
In seeing off Benavidez, Figueiredo took his record in mixed martial arts to 19-1 in what was a dazzling display in the third of four events at Fight Island at Flash Forum. It earned him not only a first title, but also performance of the night, which he shared with compatriot Ariane Lipski.
Figueiredo had defeated Benavidez in their initial match-up earlier this year, but did not make weight and thus the fight was relegated from a title bout. Figueiredo's participation on Sunday was threatened not only by his chequered history with weight cuts, but also after he recently tested positive for Covid-19. However, he returned a negative test before leaving Brazil for Abu Dhabi and was tested again upon arrival in the capital.
Joseph Benavidez tears up after defeat
Yet he maintained his focus to dispatch Benavides, who broke down in tears when facing the media following his defeat.
“I’m a guy who doesn’t give up ever,” Figueiredo said. “I had to overcome all those hurdles to get here - it’s just something I had to do. I had to come in here to make weight and I was able to make weight. So you can bet I’m going to be a champion that’s going to hold this belt for a while.”
“I’m a knockout artist, everybody knows that and we put together that record with a lot of hard fights. And, anyone who wants to come in and challenge me and fight me, just be prepared because I’m a knockout artist. I’m available for whoever the UFC wants to put in front of me, anyone at my level. But you have to be at my level because I’m going to knock you out.
"I’m going home tomorrow and we’re going to start celebrating with all Brazilians on the flight back. And as soon as I land in Brazil everyone is going to be taking pictures and congratulating me, so it’s going to be a great party.”
Jack Hermansson was also celebrating on Sunday after triumphing in the co-main event against Kelvin Gastelum. The Swedish middleweight did it in style too, submitting his opponent 78 seconds into the fight with a tight heel hook. It marked Hermansson's fifth victory in his past six appearances.
“That’s my goal, that’s why I do this: I want a title shot,” he said. “It went perfect: first-round finish, that’s what I want. I’m always satisfied if I get the finish. If I don’t get the finish, I’m not always satisfied, but now it’s not only a victory, it’s a finish in the first round, so I’m happy with that.
“I didn’t think too much, I just did as I do in practice. I tried to stay aggressive and work for the submissions. We knew, we prepared for him posting up in the tripod position. Did you see that? That’s something that we worked for, so I knew that he was going to do that.”
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch
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October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
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October 9: v Sabah FA
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.