Brazil on Brazil violence?
This past weekend (Sat., Dec. 7, 2024) at UFC 310, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja ran through UFC newcomer Kai Asakura in two rounds, submitting the Japanese fighter, putting him to sleep inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada (watch highlights).
With Pantoja dispatching Asakura so easily, the Flyweight division is in a state of worry. The Brazilian champion has no one left to fight other than a slew of rematches and … “Mighty Mouse?”
Yes, he can fight Kai Kara-France as the two competed against each other on The Ultimate Fighter 24, with Pantoja coming out on top. Or there is Brandon Royval and Brandon Moreno, both of whom have lost to Pantoja multiple times.
However, one fighter is a wild card and has a win over Pantoja: former two-time Flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.
Figueiredo recently spoke with Laerte Viana, revealing he is down to scrap with Pantoja again.
“Since he [Pantoja] is looking for someone, I think I’m the best option,” Figueiredo said. “I’m available, man. In my entire career in the UFC, I only missed weight once. If I have to make weight, I’ll go there and fulfill my commitment. Our first fight wasn’t easy for him. It was a three-round fight, and I certainly won all three.”
Indeed, “God of War” beat Pantoja in a ‘Fight of the Night’ at UFC 240 (Dec. 2019) and is only one of three fighters to defeat “The Cannibal” inside the Octagon.
With Figueiredo losing to Petr Yan late last month, putting a halt to his run to become a two-division champion, it makes complete sense for the 36-year-old to drop back down to Flyweight and try to become a three-division champion.
For complete UFC 310 results, coverage and highlights click HERE.