Deiveson Figueiredo

By FCF Staff

After recording his sixth UFC victory on Saturday, by submitting Tim Elliot, Deiveson Figueiredo is campaigning for an interim flyweight title fight with Joseph Benavidez.

Figueiredo tapped Elliot out at UFC Tampa, by catching the veteran fighter with a guillotine choke in the first round. After the win, the Brazilian contender had this to say, while discussing his next bout (quotes via MMA Junkie):

“The next one needs to be Benavidez. He was supposed to fight me last year. He thought I was afraid, but I was hurt and couldn’t take the fight. Now I want Benavidez to pay for what he said. I want to knock him out so he can’t talk trash again, I want people to see that he is a liar. Why wouldn’t we do the interim belt now? Cejudo isn’t going to come back until the middle of next year. Fight me for the interim belt now. I can go as soon as Benavidez wants. When is he ready? I am ready now. Next month, next year, whatever – I am ready. He can’t be scared after what he said. Now is the time to prove who is afraid of who. This is the fight business, not the talk business, so let’s fight.”

UFC President Dana White has said that flyweight champion Henry Cejudo should fight Benavidez next. Cejudo, who is also the bantamweight champion, hasn’t committed to defending the 125 belt next.

Benavidez (28-5) beat Cejudo by split decision in 2016 and has won three in a row. Figueiredo (17-1) has gone 5-1 to date in the UFC and was coming off a decision win over Alexandre Pantoja prior to UFC Tampa.