Former UFC champions will collide when Deiveson Figueiredo makes his bantamweight division debut against two-time former titleholder Dominick Cruz.
First reported by Igor Ribeiro, Figueiredo will make his official move to 135 in September for a clash with division staple Dominick Cruz. A specific date was not provided, but the likeliest scenario will pit the two fighters against one another on September 9 when the promotion heads back to Australia for UFC 293.
“Deiveson Figueiredo is very close to dating his debut in the French pesos,” Ribeiro said in a translated tweet. “The former flyweight champion negotiates to face Dominick Cruz, in September. Or verbal agreement is feito! ‘My employer is talking. It will be now for September,’” Figueiredo confirmed per the report.
Figueiredo and Cruz Will Both Be Looking to Get Back in the Win Column
Deiveson Figueiredo will make his way to the bantamweight division after etching his name in the history books at flyweight, capturing the 125-pound crown twice, and competing in the promotion’s first-ever quadrilogy against reigning flyweight champ Brandon Moreno. Boasting a 10-3-1 record inside the Octagon, 21-3-1 overall, ‘Deus Da Guerra’ will look to add another division’s gold to his already impressive collection.
But first, Figueiredo will need to pass a very tough test when he meets perhaps the most celebrated bantamweight in the history of MMA, Dominick Cruz. ‘The Dominator’ was long considered to be the best 135’er in the game, but a series of serious injuries plagued Cruz throughout his career and kept him out of the Octagon for long stretches of time. During his time away, Cruz has made his presence known at the commentary table, often working alongside Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik to offer his own unique take on the fight game during live broadcasts.
Cruz’s last appearance inside the Octagon came in August 2022 when he suffered a brutal fourth-round head kick KO against Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera. Prior to that, Cruz had back-to-back wins against Casey Kenny and Pedro Munhoz.