UFC free fight: Brandon Moreno submits Deiveson Figueiredo to claim flyweight title
Brandon Moreno left no doubt when he rematched Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263.
The pair battled to a majority draw at UFC 256, resulting in Figueiredo retaining his flyweight title. As a result, a rematch was booked at UFC 263. But in the second fight, Moreno did not leave it in the hands of the judges.
Moreno was the busier striker to start, mixing things up with leg kicks and shots to the body. Figueiredo appeared tentative and was caught and dropped by a left hand in Round 1.
Figueiredo started a lot more aggressively in Round 2, landing an early takedown. After some top control, Figueiredo’s guillotine attempt was reversed by Moreno, who latched onto his back and dragged him down to the mat. But Figueiredo managed turn out of it and remained on his back for the rest of the round.
Moreno’s success on the ground would translate into Round 3, where he took Figueiredo down and got his back with both hooks in. This time, he was able to cinch in the rear-naked choke and submit Figueiredo, becoming the first UFC champion born in Mexico.
Figueiredo got the belt back when they competed in a trilogy bout at UFC 270. Figueiredo scored multiple knockdowns to earn a decision win. With Figueiredo sidelined, Moreno faced Kai Kara-France for the interim flyweight title at UFC 277 and finished him by TKO to set up a highly anticipated fourth fight with Figueiredo.
Moreno (20-6-2 MMA, 8-3-2 UFC) returns Jan. 21 for a title unification bout with Figueiredo (21-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) in the UFC 283 co-main event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC and ESPN+.
Before they face off for a fourth time, relive Moreno’s finish of Figueiredo in the video above.
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Twitter reacts to Brandon Moreno's title-winning tap of Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263
