History Will Be Made: UFC 256 Figueiredo vs. Moreno Preview & Predictions
The Ultimate Fighting Champion has flourished through the COVID-19 pandemic while other sports looked timid and UFC President Dana White is not stopping now with a great end of year pay-per-view.
The current UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo will attempt to make history, becoming the first fighter in UFC history to defend his title within four weeks. Just last month at UFC 255, both men competed and won their flyweight matchups. While the challenger Brandon Moreno was eating burgers and celebrating his impressive win, the champion emphatically defended his championship then proceeded to call out Moreno (something that we rarely witness).
So now, four weeks out since our previous pay-per-view event, the Flyweight champion will headline the Apex Centre with record-breaking attempts on his mind.
The UFC Flyweight Challenger
Brandon Moreno was not hand-selected by the champion for an easy fight, quite the opposite. Moreno is one of the most dangerous and tricky battles that Figueiredo could have asked for, so respect to the champ for giving fans what they want.
Fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico, Moreno takes pride in fighting for his nation – the championship is more than money and fame, it is a dream to represent Mexico as a fighting UFC champion.
Brandon Moreno (18-5-1)
Since his arrival onto the UFC roster 2016, Moreno has amassed a 6-2-1 record and a moment where the UFC let him go. Yes, two back-to-back defeats saw the young and talented Moreno sign for LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance). Fortunately for us fans, a dominant win brought the youngster straight back onto the UFC roster where he belongs. And since the return, Moreno has swept through some of the divisions most fierce athletes, including a win over Jussier Formiga (the only fighter to defeat Figueiredo during his career).
Moreno is a complete mixed martial artist but has found the most success through his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skill set. Eleven career finishes by way of submission, and a vicious technical knockout stoppage over Brandon Royval at UFC 255 last month sees the challenger in the fight of his life this weekend.
The Champion
The reigning, defending UFC flyweight champion had been dominating the roster since his promotional debut back in 2017. Three years down the line, he has captured the flyweight strap and claimed his position as number one at 125lbs and is looking to enter the history books by defending his title within a four-week time frame.
Deiveson Figueiredo 20-1-0
Hailing from Brazil, it’s no shock that Deiveson has obtained a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt on his journey as a 20+ year martial artist. And although Figueiredo has won eight of his twenty-one fights via submission, his knockout tally has been slightly more dangerous during the champions UFC tenure.
Four weeks ago, Alex Perez attempted to steal the gold, but in true Figueiredo fashion, he finished the fight before the closure of the round. With one of the nastiest guillotine chokes in the division, the size and strength of Fig latched onto the neck and left Perez gasping for air.
A quick turnaround with a massive hunger for success, Figueiredo wants to be the first to finish the young Brandon Moreno.
UFC 256 Fight Prediction & Odds
GTBets one of the leading oddsmakers on UFC lines, according to its review has, the champion priced at -300, heavily favouring the champion to defend his championship successfully. We should not be surprised, the younger, less seasoned fighter in Moreno has his work set out for him. Interestingly, the last time Moreno was such a heavy underdog, he defeated Louis Smolka in his promotional debut at a near +400 price tag.
The fight itself will be complicated for the challenger, I believe he can match the speed of the champion, but accuracy, precision and power will favour Figueiredo in the striking department.
On the flipside, Moreno has been superior through his ground game, the problem for him is the defending flyweight champ is better their too. Submitting a black belt from Brazil would be an incredible accomplishment for Moreno, but this is a reach.
I can’t help but anticipate another impressive Figueiredo finish, but things could get interesting if this fight enters the championship rounds. The one attribute where Moreno could have the advantage is cardio.
Deiveson Figueiredo to win inside the distance @ -150
