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Deiveson Figueiredo will not be eligible to win the vacant UFC flyweight title later tonight (Sat., Feb. 29, 2020) at UFC Fight Night 169 live on ESPN+ from inside Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, and UFC president Dana White is not happy.
Figueiredo, who will be making his first main event bid, missed weight by 2.5 pounds during yesterday’s weigh ins and will not be able to claim the 125-pound crown should he defeat veteran contender Joseph Benavidez in the main event. Figueiredo will also forfeit 30 percent of his purse.
Given the current state of the UFC flyweight division and the fact that current champion Henry Cejudo will be vacating the belt to clear way for tonight’s headliner, Dana White was understandably disappointed to learn of Figueiredo’s scale fail. It’s completely unacceptable for a fighter competing for his first UFC championship.
White had harsh words for Figueiredo while cutting a UFC Norfolk promo video via Instagram (shown in the above player courtesy of UFC).
“Let’s start with the main event, Joseph Benavidez vs Deiveson. For those of you who don’t know, Deiveson did not make weight,” said White. “Insane! Unprofessional! How do you show up for a title fight and not make weight?
“What does this mean? It means that if Benavidez wins the fight, he is the new champion. If Deiveson wins the fight, the championship goes vacant.”
Ouch. Sounds like Figueiredo will have to punch his way out of the UFC doghouse later tonight when he squares off with “Joe B-Wan Kenobi.”
What say you, Maniacs? Does Figueiredo deserve all of the backlash he is receiving?
Sound off!