Deiveson Figueiredo to Make Bantamweight Debut in December

Deiveson Figueiredo is movin’ on up…

The 35-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist will make his long-awaited move up to bantamweight before the end of the year.

Deiveson FigueiredoThe former two-time UFC flyweight champion will face Rob Font in a contender bout at UFC Fight Night on December 2.

Figueiredo was first scheduled to return to flyweight over the summer, but he withdrew due to injury and decided to move up a division.

ESPN has Figueiredo ranked No. 4 in the world at flyweight and Font ranked No. 10 at bantamweight.

Figueiredo (21-3-1) has not fought since losing the flyweight title to Brandon Moreno via TKO last January at UFC 283. He went 1-2-1 against Moreno in their tetralogy. Figueiredo is tied with Demetrious Johnson for the most finishes in UFC flyweight history (7).

Font (20-7) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to top contender Cory Sandhagen on August 5. The 36-year-old Massachusetts native has dropped three of four.

Anderson Silva Inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Anderson Silva has been immortalized by UFC.

The 48-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Anderson SilvaBut he’s not the only legendary fighter in the Hall.

Jose Aldo, who also helped build the popularity of MMA in Brazil, was among the honorees celebrated this week at T-Mobile Arena

Silva and Aldo headlined a star-studded class that included fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, lighter weight MMA pioneer Jens Pulver and a classic, knockdown, drag-out fight between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald from 2015.

Silva, is on the short list of the best fighters ever. “The Spider” still holds the UFC record of 16 straight victories and has the second-most consecutive title defenses (10, behind Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson at 11). Silva had the longest title reign in UFC history, holding the middleweight championship for 2,457 days. He did it all with flair, too. Silva, a flashy striker, has the most finishes (nine), knockouts (seven) and knockdowns (10) in UFC title fights.

Silva did not attend the ceremony Thursday because of “scheduling issues,” according to his son Kalyl, who accepted on his behalf. Silva posted an Instagram video in Portuguese thanking his team, family and fans.

“They’re both icons,” Kalyl told ESPN of Aldo and his father. “Jose Aldo, ‘The King of Rio,’ and Anderson Silva in the same class is just perfect. It couldn’t have been written any better.”

Aldo’s accolades are nearly as impressive. He is the most decorated featherweight fighter in MMA history. Aldo, 36, had a combined nine successful title defenses in the UFC and WEC, which was eventually purchased and absorbed into the UFC. He was the youngest champion in WEC history at 23 years old. He even moved down to bantamweight late in his career and had a solid run there, too, falling to Petr Yan in a vacant title fight in 2020.

“It’s very emotional, very hard to explain,” Aldo told ESPN’s C. Contreras Legaspi via an interpreter. “Ever since I wanted to come to the UFC, [I wanted to] be a champion, and I got so much more. So, this is a lot of dreams coming through at the same time.”

Cerrone has the most fights (48) and most wins (29) in Zuffa history (between UFC, WEC, Strikeforce and Pride). But he was most known for being an action fighter and taking fights when the UFC needed him.

“It’s just cool that I got recognized for answering the call every time they called,” Cerrone told ESPN. “And that was my job. When they said, ‘We got a guy,’ then I’m your man, let’s go. And I never turned down a fight, never backing down and just fighting until I couldn’t fight anymore. And that’s what I wanted. That was my legacy. I wanted [people to say], ‘Cowboy’ is fighting? Oh, we got to find a bar. We got to pull the car over. We got to figure it out.’ And I think I succeeded.”

Pulver, 48, was the first UFC lightweight champion, winning the belt in 2001 when the 155-pound division was called “bantamweight” and successfully defending it against the likes of BJ Penn. The UFC later abolished that weight class, and it didn’t resurface for five years. Pulver, who was undersized for even that weight class, would go on to have success in Japan before returning to the UFC and then WEC at 145 pounds.

“I battled, for a long time, with anxiety and depression,” Pulver said in a moving speech. “And I learned, never close the door on the person you’re going to be in five years. Because time is different. Those problems, those memories will change. If you’re busy growing your world, those problems will get a lot stronger. Never close the door and do something drastic. I love you, believe me. I love all of you. I love you very much.”

The contributions of lighter weight fighters like him early on helped create opportunities for others such as Conor McGregor, who would go on to become the biggest star in the history of the sport fighting at 145 and 155 pounds.

Also on Thursday, the Nogueira brothers, Antonio Rodrigo and Antonio Rogerio, were named the 2023 recipients of the Forrest Griffin Community Award, which recognizes contributions in volunteer and charity work. The brothers are legends of Brazilian MMA and mentors for Silva and others.

UFC Legend Anderson Silva to be Inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Anderson Silva is headed to the hall…

The 47-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer, a former UFC Middleweight Champion who holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days, will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer, the promotion announced during the UFC 286 broadcast.

Anderson SilvaConsidered one of the greatest MMA fighters to ever live will enter the Hall as part of the pioneer wing.

The Spider, as he’s nicknamed, has dominated the sport. He held the UFC middleweight title from 2006 to 2013 and compiled 16 straight victories in the UFC, the longest winning streak in promotion history.

Silva had 10 middleweight title defenses, second all-time after Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson (11).

“Anderson Silva is one of the greatest athletes of all time,” UFC president Dana White said in a statement. “Anderson’s 16-fight winning streak in the UFC, 10 successful title defenses and almost seven years as middleweight champion were one of the most remarkable things we’ve ever seen in professional sports. He was an absolute artist inside the Octagon, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”

It wasn’t just that Silva would win, either. He put opponents away with a flourish, sometimes making foes look foolish in the process. His nine UFC title finishes are the most in promotion history, and he’s tied for the most KO/TKOs in UFC middleweight history.

Silva asked for his UFC release in 2020 and went on to win boxing matches against former world champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and fellow UFC luminary Tito OrtizJake Paul defeated Silva in a boxing match, Silva’s most recent fight, last October.

In the UFC, Silva owns victories over the likes of Rich FranklinDan HendersonVitor BelfortChael Sonnen (twice) and Forrest Griffin.

Deiveson Figueiredo to Fight Brandon Moreno in First-Ever UFC “Quadrilogy” Fight

Deiveson Figueiredo is making history while going on the defense…

The 34-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist will take part in the first-ever quadrilogy fight in UFC history.

Deiveson FigueiredoFigueiredo will defend his flyweight belt against former champion and current interim champ Brandon Moreno at UFC 283 on January 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Figueiredo posted about the matchup Monday night on Instagram. Both bout agreements have been signed, according to ESPN sources.

This will be the fourth meeting between the top two 125-pound fighters in the world.

Figueiredo and Moreno battled to a draw at UFC 256 in December 2020. Then in the rematch, Moreno became the first Mexican-born fighter to win a UFC title, defeating Figueiredo via third-round submission at UFC 263 in June 2021. Figueiredo got revenge at UFC 270 last January, beating Moreno in a close unanimous decision to regain the title.

It’s not yet known whether Figueiredo vs. Moreno will be the main event of UFC 283. The UFC is weighing several other headlining options for its return to Brazil, a key country for the promotion.

This will be the UFC’s first trip back to Brazil since March 2020, and the first time fans will be in attendance for a Brazil UFC event since November 2019.

ESPN has Figueiredo tied for ninth on its MMA pound-for-pound list. At flyweight, Figueiredo and Moreno are ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.

Figueiredo (21-2-1) has just one loss in his past eight fights, coming against Moreno. The “God of War” owns a 10-2-1 UFC record and has not fought since taking the title back from Moreno earlier this year. Figueiredo is tied for the most finishes in division history with Demetrious Johnson (7).

Moreno (20-6-2) has only one loss in his past nine fights, coming against Figueiredo. The “Assassin Baby” won the interim flyweight belt by beating Kai Kara-France at UFC 277 in July via third-round TKO. Moreno, 28, is a former LFA flyweight champion.

Adriano Moraes to Defend ONE Championship 135-Pound Title in Rematch Against Demetrious Johnson

It’s rematch time for Adriano Moraes.

The 33-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist will fight Demetrious Johnson this summer.

Adriano MoraesMoraes will fight Johnson, one of the best MMA fighters of all time, in a rematch for the ONE Championship 135-pound title on August 26 in Singapore.

Moraes knocked out Johnson in an upset victory to defend the belt in April 2021.

Moraes (19-3) stopped Johnson via second-round knockout with a knee. The Brazil native, who lives and trains in Florida, has won three straight and has held the ONE 135-pound title since January 2019.

Moraes has won 11 of his past 13 fights in ONE overall.

Johnson (30-4-1) owns the record for the most consecutive UFC title defenses of all time (11), holding the title from 2012 to 2018. The Washington native was traded from the UFC to ONE in an exchange for Ben Askren in the fall of 2018.

Johnson most recently competed in a mixed rules match for ONE, beating Muay Thai standout Rodtang Jitmuangnon via second-round submission in March.

Mighty Mouse” won the ONE 135-pound grand prix tournament in 2019, setting up the fight with Moraes last year. He is 3-1 since coming to ONE and his only loss other than Moraes in the past 11 years came against Henry Cejudo in a UFC flyweight title bout in August 2018.

Ricky Bandejas to Fight Ray Borg in Eagle FC 46 Next Month

Ricky Bandejas is readying for a fight…

The 30-year-old Latino mixed martial artist will be among the fighters set to take part in Eagle FC‘s return to the United States.

Ricky Bandejas Bandejas will fight against former UFC title challenger Ray Borg in a bantamweight bout and Rizvan Kuniev will defend his heavyweight title against UFC veteran Anthony Hamilton at Eagle FC 46 on March 11 in Miami, according to promoter Khabib Nurmagomedov.

This will be the first time Kuniev will defend the Eagle title on United States soil.

Bandejas (15-6) has won two of his last three fights with Combate Global. The New Jersey native beat Conor McGregor protégé James Gallagher under the Bellator banner in 2018.

Borg (15-5), known as The Tazmexican Devil, has won two straight after departing the UFC. Most recently, the Mexico native defeated Cody Gibson via unanimous decision last month at Eagle FC 44.

Borg, still just 28 years old, challenged Demetrious Johnson for the UFC flyweight title at UFC 216 in October 2017. He struggled with personal issues, including a brain illness affecting his infant son Anthony, and weight-cutting difficulties in the UFC before being released in 2020.

Marc Castro Defeats Former MMA Fighter John Moraga by Second-Round KO

Marc Castro has taken down a UFC veteran…

The 21-year-old Latino boxer needed a single punch, eight seconds and a massive left jab to knock down UFC veteran John Moraga in the first round.

Marc Castro

From there, it was a matter of time before the junior lightweight prospect earned his second career KO in his second pro fight.

Castro (2-0, 2 KOs), of Fresno, California, knocked down Moraga (1-3, 1 KOs) three times in two rounds to register the knockout, finishing the fight with a left uppercut.

Moraga, of Phoenix, has had an impressive MMA career, with a 19-7 record and a UFC flyweight title shot in 2013 that he lost to Demetrious Johnson. His first knockout loss in boxing was Moraga’s third defeat in four pro bouts.

Castro is still very, very early in his pro career, but the friend of star fighter Ryan Garcia made easy work of an overmatched opponent.

Deiveson Figueiredo Defeats Joseph Benavidez to Win UFC Flyweight Title

Deiveson Figueiredo is a titleholder…

The 32-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and UFC fighter has defeated Joseph Benavidez to claim the vacant UFC flyweight championship.

Deiveson Figueiredo

In a rematch of their controversial bout earlier this year, Figueiredo knocked down Benavidezthree times and then choked him out at 4:48 of the first round in the main event of Sunday’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi. 

In the opening seconds Figueiredo clipped Benavidez with a right hand, then attempted to cinch in a rear-naked choke on the ground. Benavidez bravely fought off the move and was able to get back on his feet. But he couldn’t do that a second time. Figueiredo blasted him with a whipping right hand in the final minute of the first, then pounced and locked in the submission to earn the title victory. Benavidez didn’t have a chance to tap out — he went unconscious and referee Marc Goddard called the fight.

“I said I was going to break Benavidez, and that’s exactly what I did,” Figueiredo said. “I gave him his first submission on his record, and the fight itself was a great show. I gave everyone a show. He didn’t surprise me at all tonight.”

Coming in, ESPN had Figueiredo ranked as its No. 2 MMA flyweight in the world, and Benavidez No. 3. Figueiredo is now just the third flyweight champion in UFC history, following the legendary Demetrious Johnson and the recently retired former double champ Henry Cejudo.

“I’m available for whoever the UFC wants to put in front of me. Anyone at my level,” Figueiredo said. “But you have to be at my level, because I’m a knockout artist, 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.”

Benavidez and Figueiredo first fought on Feb. 29 in Norfolk, Virginia. The bout was supposed to decide the vacant title, but Figueiredo missed weight by 2.5 pounds. Due to the weight miss, Benavidez was the only one who could win the belt in the fight — but Figueiredo ended up stopping Benavidez by TKO in the second round.

There was some dispute there, too. Figueiredo’s finish came right after a clash of heads that rocked Benavidez, who had won the first round. The circumstances led to the UFC granting Benavidez an immediate rematch.

Henry Cejudo Open to Return to Competition with Fight Against Ryan Garcia

Henry Cejudo is open to a comeback…

The 33-year-old Mexican American retired mixed martial artist is open to return to competition, witha fight against up-and-coming boxer Ryan Garcia at the top of his wish list.

Henry Cejudo

The former UFC double champion told ESPN that if any bout would get him to come back, it would be one against Garcia, the 21-year-old boxing prodigy promoted by Oscar De La Hoya‘s Golden Boy Promotions.

Cejudo and Garcia have been going back-and-forth on social media for weeks. Cejudo said he’d be willing to face Garcia in a boxing match, but he proposed a hybrid fight with 10-ounce boxing best heated gloves that have the fingers exposed for grappling.

Previously, Cejudo, a former Olympic wrestling gold medalist, said he’d most like to return against UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. But the ex-UFC flyweight and bantamweight champ has changed his tune a bit.

“I think Ryan Garcia would be the easiest payday ‘Triple C’ would ever get,” Cejudo said. “It would be a lot bigger than any purse I did in the UFC. If there’s any fight that intrigues me between staying retired, between fighting … Alexander Volkanovski or fighting … Ryan Garcia, I like the payday. Plus, it’s easy money because he’s fought nobody.”

Cejudo added that he thinks Garcia is “another Sean O’Malley,” referring to the highly touted UFC bantamweight prospect, when it comes to unfounded hype.

“It makes me sick,” Cejudo said.

Cejudo said Garcia “wouldn’t make it 30 seconds” with him in mixed martial arts. A bout between the two seems like a long shot. Cejudo still has a UFC contract, and the promotion would have to OK any other fight deal or be part of the co-promotion.

Cejudo (16-2) stepped away from MMA unexpectedly after six straight wins. ESPNstill has him ranked No. 3 on its pound-for-pound fighter list. Cejudo has an impressive résumé, including being one of four fighters to hold two UFC titles at the same time. The Arizona resident has beaten the likes of Demetrious JohnsonTJ Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz, all former champions.

“Triple C” is apparently now looking to add Garcia to that list.

“Ryan Garcia, if you are watching this … answer the call, man, and sign the damn contract,” Cejudo said.

Henry Cejudo Announces Retirement Moments After Defending 135-Pound UFC Title

Henry Cejudo  is walking away a winner…

The 33-year-old mixed martial artist, a two-weight UFC champion and former Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler, defended his 135-pound title for the first time on Saturday night, defeating Dominick Cruz (22-3) via TKO at 4 minutes, 58 seconds of the second round at UFC 249at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

Henry Cejudo

Cejudo (16-2) shocked the mixed martial arts world moments later when he announced he doesn’t intend to fight again.

“I’m happy with my career,” Cejudo said. “I’ve done enough in the sport. I want to walk away and enjoy myself. I’m 33 years old. I have a girl now, watching me from back home. Since I was 11, I’ve sacrificed my life to get to where I was tonight. I’m retiring tonight. Uncle Dana [UFC president Dana White], thank you. Everybody here, thank you so much.”

White appeared on SportsCenter later Saturday and said he wasn’t surprised by Cejudo’s announcement.

“It really didn’t shock me,” he said. “Cejudo has been talking about retirement to us for months. I’m of the belief that if you’re talking about retirement in the fight business, you should probably retire.”

Before leaving the cage, Cejudo declared himself the best combat-sports athlete of all time. His only two losses in MMA came against Demetrious Johnson, the longest-reigning flyweight champion in UFC history, and Joseph Benavidez. Cejudo avenged his loss to Johnson two years after the first meeting.

If this does prove to be Cejudo’s final appearance, it was an impressive one. 

Cruz hadn’t fought in 1,226 days because of injury, but he was still widely recognized coming in as the greatest bantamweight of all time.

Cejudo’s longtime head coach, Eric Albarracin, told ESPN that he believed Cejudo was still “in his prime.”

“I only think he’s getting better. It’s a somber moment, when someone retires in his prime,” Albarracin said. “I understand it, though. We’ve been on a hell of a run. I’ve been with him since 2004. He’s gotten it done. Every goal we’ve ever set, he’s accomplished. He’s beaten every legend they set in front of him.”

Albarracin said “there was something a little bit off this week” with Cejudo.

“I was trying to figure it out, but I couldn’t put my finger on it,” Albarracin said. “I was ready to have him call out Jose AldoAlex Volkanovski and Conor McGregor after this fight, and he told me no. I think if Dana White were to add another zero to his paycheck, he’d have a hard time not coming back, but maybe he just does want to move on.”

Cejudo appeared to echo Albarracin’s point, saying at his postfight news conference, “I really do want to walk away, but money talks.”

The second-round finish came after Cejudo badly hurt Cruz with a right knee to the temple. Cejudo immediately pounced on him and dropped a hard right hand and a series of unanswered left hands until referee Keith Peterson stopped the bout. It is the first knockout loss of Cruz’s 15-year professional career.

“I’m ruthless,” Cejudo said. “I may be cringe-y, corny — but boy, can I fight.”

Coming into this weekend, ESPN ranked Cejudo the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.