Figueiredo targets flyweight return to knock out champion Van after UFC 332

Deiveson Figueiredo has set his sights on a third UFC flyweight title reign, publicly calling for a fight with champion Joshua Van and predicting a knockout finish — but first he must end a two-fight losing streak against top prospect Payton Talbott at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City this Saturday.

Speaking through a Portuguese-to-English translator at Wednesday’s media day, Figueiredo said he has already been lobbying the UFC to make the flyweight matchup happen. “I’ve been asking the UFC and telling them I will make that weight very easy,” he said. “I’ve been asking them to just make the fight, I want that opportunity, and let’s see if his boxing is as good as mine.”

Figueiredo last competed at 125 pounds nearly four years ago, having twice captured the flyweight title before moving up to bantamweight. His confidence against Van — widely regarded as one of MMA’s most exciting champions — is unequivocal. “Two hundred percent. It needs to happen. The UFC gives me an opportunity, I go out there and knock him out.”

Van has been in scintillating form, going 11-1 inside the octagon and earning three consecutive Fight of the Night bonuses. His title defence against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 was considered a Fight of the Year candidate, and he has also successfully defended against Tatsuro Taira and beaten longtime contender Brandon Royval.

Figueiredo believes Van’s striking-heavy style plays into his own hands, and offered a tactical critique of how Pantoja approached their rematch. “Everybody wants to exchange with him and he’s a striker,” Figueiredo said. “I’m a striker and a grappler, so believe me, if he wants to strike with me, the effect won’t be the same and he will not want to exchange with me. Pantoja’s an amazing fighter, but I think the game plan was wrong because he was just trying to push the striking in this fight. Why not use more grappling in this fight with the excellent jiu-jitsu he’s got?”

For now, any flyweight ambitions hinge on Saturday’s result. Figueiredo enters UFC 332 as the underdog against Talbott, and a loss would make a title shot at either weight class a distant prospect. A victory, however, would give him the platform to press the UFC on a return to the division where he made his name.