Pantoja vs Figueiredo

A Rematch for the Belt?

Deiveson Figueiredo recently expressed in an interview with Laerte Viana that he would be open to a rematch with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – JULY 27: (R-L) Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil punches Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil in their flyweight bout during the UFC 240 event at Rogers Place on July 27, 2019 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC)

History Between Pantoja & Figueiredo

The two first faced off at UFC 240 in July 2019, where Figueiredo won the fight by unanimous decision. Despite the dominant victory, the fight earned both athletes a Fight of the Night bonus. Figueiredo (24-4-1) went on to become a two-time flyweight champion before moving up to bantamweight after losing his title to Brandon Moreno for the second time.

Since their initial meeting, Pantoja has gone on an impressive 8-1 run, including a seven-fight win streak. He has defeated every top 10 opponent he’s faced (7-0, 9-0 including TUF bouts), leaving few clear contenders left for him to fight. Coming off of a dominant showing at UFC 310 against Kai Asakura, not many flyweights are lining up to face Pantoja.

Pantoja Champion

Realistic Fight to Make?

Figueiredo’s resume, which includes two flyweight championships and a win over Pantoja, arguably gives him the strongest case for a flyweight title shot, despite having recently moved up to bantamweight. Former champions have been gifted title shots after losses before, so this could work in Figueiredo’s favor after all given the state of the flyweight division.

The major obstacle for Figueiredo, however, is the weight. He has struggled to make the 125-pound limit in the past, often looking drained on the scales. Although he has only missed weight once (in his first fight with Joseph Benavidez), there are concerns about his ability to make championship weight again. The UFC may also be hesitant to trust him, especially as Figueiredo approaches 37 years old.

If he can prove he can make the weight and if no clear flyweight contenders arise in the next couple of months, a rematch between Pantoja and Figueiredo could very well be on the horizon.

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