Deiveson Figueiredo Wins the Vacant Flyweight Title, Submits Joseph Benavidez

Deiveson Figueiredo won the vacant flyweight title after he submitted Joseph Benavidez with twelve seconds before the end of the first round. The fight took place at the Flash Forum on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island.

It is, without a doubt, the biggest success of the career for the Brazilian who was supposed to do this earlier, but his weight problems prevented him from doing so.

“I also wanted to put that first submission loss on his record,” Figueiredo (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) said fired up after the fight. “I finished him in the first round. That’s exactly what happened.”

Figueiredo dominates Benavidez for the rear naked choke submission

Your new UFC Flyweight Champion 👑🇧🇷 #UFCFightIsland2 https://t.co/GNclorCMJq

— SIDELINE (@SidelineFamily) July 19, 2020

This victory was even more convincing than the first one, when Figueiredo knocked out Benavidez (28-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) in the second round. Back then, the American had some chances of beating his rival, and in this one, there were no such prospects.

The Brazilian began to pound the Benavidez right from the start, sending him to the canvas with a massive right hook, which almost ended everything. Figueiredo immediately went to finish the bout, unleashing a flurry of punches all over the fallen opponent who somehow survived.

But Figueiredo then tried to submit him, with a guillotine choke from which Benavidez escaped, finally managing to stand up. Yet that didn’t last for too long because Figueiredo dropped him twice more, eventually setting up a rear-naked choke from which there was no way out.

“I feel really good. I worked really hard for this,” Figueiredo said. “I knew my time would come, and this is my time. I am going to be an active champion.”

Figueiredo experienced several problems before the fight. Those issues included him being positive for COVID-19 two months ago, then having difficulties with false tests before arriving in UAE, and eventually having to adjust to the new schedule and plan once coming to the Abu Dhabi. Yet he didn’t allow for all this to interfere with his mindset.

“I was able to overcome all that,” he said. “I was able to come in here, and I’m the champion now; it’s going to be a very hard time for anyone that comes after me.”

He is currently only the third champion of this category, with Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo having held the belt before him. And we need to say that he is one of the most dominant guys in this division with six stoppages in eight wins, which is something not frequent in the flyweight.

Figueiredo submits Benavidez with seconds left in the first. Benavidez never tapped, went out cold.

Deiveson Figueiredo is the new UFC flyweight champion. No doubt, no controversy this time. A sublime performance by the Brazilian.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 19, 2020

The lone loss in the career of this excellent fighter came last year against Jussier Formiga, but that didn’t affect his future. Right now, he seems to be the undisputed champ, and a guy who will reign this division for a long time.

On the other side, this was the fourth title attempt for Benavidez, who failed to win once again. Legendary Johnson defeated him twice, and now Figueiredo did the same. Many believed that one of the best fighters in the history of flyweight might finally reach the throne of the division, but that didn’t happen.

If there were some hopes in the first match, and after the same, all of them were blown into pieces after just a few seconds of tonight’s bout. With 35 years of age, this was probably his last chance to take the gold, and it seems that Benavidez’s stellar career would pass without him being a champion.