Deiveson Figueiredo has had really though weigh cuts.
Could Deiveson Figueiredo move up and pursue a second title in another division?
“Deus da Guerra” has repeatedly struggled making 125 lbs, and while he did make weight for UFC 263, it was a rough cut and he eventually lost his title to Brandon Moreno.
“I always have a problem making weight, brother, and it happened the same thing this time,” Figueiredo told the Brazilian media (via MMA Fighting).
“I almost didn’t make weight, it was quite complicated, it really was,” he said. “Maybe that was it, it made me slow, but I felt I was doing well in the fight. I just couldn’t find myself, and when I was about to [find myself] he took my back and submitted me, something I didn’t expect.”
“It was hard, I almost didn’t make it,” he said. “I even fought my coaches, I said I couldn’t do it,” he continued. “I was bad. Not physically bad, but my head was shaken already. I starved for two days, not drinking water well for days.”
Figueiredo has already had terrible weight cuts even prior to this bout. He was hospitalized the night before his first bout against Moreno last December, and also missed weight on for his title bout against Joseph Benavidez in February 2020.
The former champion isn’t set on his next move just yet, but plans to make some drastic changes moving forward. Figueiredo says he is also considering a move up to 135 lbs.
“I think about moving up [to bantamweight] but, in order to make that decision, I have to go back home and sit down with my team and talk about it and make the best decision. I have to go back home and talk to my team. [But] let’s see if this trilogy happens, right, man? I asked for the rematch with him.
“I’ll talk to guy team and see what I can do to improve my diet, maybe even bring in my nutritionist with me [to the fights]. I have to go back home to really know what I want to do, man. But, right now, I asked for the trilogy.”
Figueiredo officially won the flyweight title in July of 2020, and defended it twice before this loss to Moreno. A move up to bantamweight and a chance to pursue a second title could be interesting, but more importantly, it could also be the much healthier option for the 33-year-old.