Brazilian flyweight Deiveson Figueiredo (15-0) proved he belongs among the division’s best with his recent thrashing of former title challenger John Moraga. The Marajo Brothers Team standout dispatched Moraga via a second-round stoppage at UFC Fight Night 135 back in August.
Figueiredo will look to stay undefeated when he takes on No. 1-ranked Jussier da Silva in what could be his ticket for a title shot. This showdown of top flyweight contenders will happen Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, for UFC Fight Night 148. Learn more about “Deus Da Guerra” through these numbers:
16: Years old when he started training mixed martial arts after meeting Iuri Alcantara. Prior to that, Figueiredo practiced capoeira comprehensively for two years.
7: Years as a professional MMA fighter. He debuted on Feb. 17, 2012 in an event called Knock Out Combat Icoaraci 3, where he submitted Aluisio Ferreira by armbar in the first round.
11: Wins without a loss before getting signed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Fighting under Marajo Brothers Team, Figueiredo amassed 11 consecutive victories in local promotions in different parts of Brazil.
31: Significant strikes is his highest output in a single UFC fight. On the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 125, Figueiredo displayed a dominant performance over Joseph Morales, who had no response to his aggression. A solid left hook sent Morales crashing to the canvas, which Figueiredo was able to capitalize on by raining down a few more punches to end the bout.
53: Seconds is the fastest finish on his resume. Figueiredo locked in a rear-naked choke on David Raimundo Silva early in the first round to take the win at an event called Jurunense Open Fight MMA 7.
1: Fight in the United States. He has fought only in one other country outside of Brazil, and that’s the United States. His first four fights in the UFC took place in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Belem.
8: Wins by knockout. His victims include Jonas Ferreira, Joel Silva, Joao Neto Silva, Rayner Silva, Denis Oliveira, Marco Beltra, Morales and Moraga.
5: Wins by submission. Figueiredo is a well-rounded fighter who also keeps some slick submissions in his arsenal. He’s tapped out Aluisio Ferreira, David Raimundo Silva, Edvaldo Junior, Antonio de Miranda and Ricardo do Socorro.
2: Wins by decision. Figueiredo is a finisher who has heard the final bell only twice in his professional career, and these were against Adailton Pereira and Jarred Brooks.
9: Rounds spent in the UFC. In all, Figueiredo has tallied eight first-round finishes but has yet to achieve one in UFC competition. He has fought four times for the promotion and has been to the third round once and the second round thrice.
7: Takedowns scored in UFC competition. Figueiredo never had a UFC fight where he didn’t complete a takedown. He has attempted a total of 13, which makes for a 54 percent takedown accuracy.