UFC 283: Brandon Moreno stops Deiveson Figueiredo to regain flyweight championship

UFC 283: Brandon Moreno defeated Deiveson Figueiredo to win the UFC Flyweight championship.

Brandon Moreno defeated Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO (doctor stoppage), Round 3 – 5:00 at UFC 283 on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, live from Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“The people need to understand I’m just a guy trying to get food for my family. I was trying to fight very smart and I was trying to move forward and make this guy tired,” said Moreno. UFC security surrounded Moreno as he made his way back to the locker room. Moreno was forced to be covered and ran backstage as Brazilian fans started throwing beers at him.

“Unfortunately, it’s time to leave this division. Congratulations to Brandon but I’m moving up (to bantamweight). It was Brandon’s night. I felt the eye poke but I hope there aren’t any long-term issues with my eyes. I’m tired of making weight and that’s why I’m moving up,” said Figueiredo.

UFC 283: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno : Round-by-round recap

Moreno dipped under a Figueiredo strike and landed a takedown in the opening 20 seconds of the fight. Figueiredo was able to explode back to his feet. Figueiredo landed a front kick. Moreno responded with a body kick. The fighters traded strikes. Moreno attempted another takedown but had his attempt easily defended and gave up on it. Figueiredo landed a powerful leg kick and went for his first takedown of the fight. Moreno was able to defend and then landed a solid body punch. Moreno landed his second takedown but lost his position and slipped. Figueiredo locked in a heel hook but Moreno was able to get out of danger. Before the end of the round, Figueiredo landed an illegal kick. Moreno protested but referee Herb Dean told the fighters to continue.

To open the second round, Figueiredo aggressively came out of his corner and dropped Moreno. The Mexican challenger was able to make his way up to his feet. The two continued to trade strikes with Moreno landing at a higher rate. Figueiredo locked in a guillotine choke but Moreno was eventually able to break the tight hold around his neck. Moreno moved into position on top of Figueiredo and ended the round in control.

Figueiredo opened the third round with a body shot. Moreno came back and landed a couple of strikes. Moreno landed a massive left hand. Figueiredo immediately grabbed his eye and circled away as he appealed for an eye poke. The punch opened up a cut. Moreno took the top position and landed a big elbow. Replays later showed that Figueiredo’s appeal was not justified as the knuckle of Moreno’s thumb landed flush in the eye. Moreno continued to control the fight on the ground, landing several strikes.

Between rounds, Dean called for the referee to look at the right eye. The doctor ruled that Figueiredo could not continue as his right eye had swelled shut. The decision outraged the Brazilian crowd.

How we got to Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4

The Figueiredo and Moreno rivalry began at UFC 255. Figueiredo successfully defended the flyweight title with a first-round submission of Alex Perez. Moreno knocked out Brandon Royval in the first round. With the UFC in need of a main event, the two flyweights agreed to fight three weeks later at UFC 256. The fight ended in a majority draw and earned fight of the night honors.

Six months later, the two fought in their first rematch at UFC 263. Moreno won the flyweight title, submitting Figueiredo in the third round. Seven months later, the two fought for the third time. This time, Figueiredo would regain the title with a unanimous decision victory.

While Figueiredo took hiatus from fighting, the UFC had Moreno and Kai Kara-France fight for an interim championship at UFC 277. Moreno won the interim title, knocking out Kara-France in the third round.

UFC 283: Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill took place on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, live from the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your news and highlights.