Former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo will not make his return in July due to an eye injury he sustained in his last Octagon outing.
“Deus da Guerra” was set to battle Manel Kape at UFC 290 on July 8 as part of the promotion’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, Canal Encarada reported on Wednesday that Figueiredo had withdrawn from the 125-pound showdown.
The Brazilian then confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on the outlet’s Portuguese “Trocação Franca” podcast. He stated that the damage his eye took during his fourth fight with Brandon Moreno in January at UFC 283 was still not fully healed. The title tilt was stopped in between the third and fourth rounds after the cageside doctor determined Figueiredo’s eye was too compromised to continue the affair.
Figueiredo said he recently spoke with doctors and they determined that his eye was still not “100 percent,” which forced him to back out of the match with Kape.
“I’m still injured,” Figueiredo said. “I asked for a fight, told my manager I wanted to fight already, but when he gave me the fight and I talked to my physical therapist and my ophthalmologist, [they said] my eyesight is still not 100 percent. There are days I see things normal, but there are days it’s not OK, especially the days after I train, so they decided I had to go the full six-month [medical suspension] the ophthalmologist gave me [after UFC 283].”
It’s unclear if Kape will remain on the UFC 290 card.
Figueiredo Doesn’t Understand Why He Was Paired With a Much Lower-Ranked Opponent, Wants Top-5 Fighter Next
Considering Deus da Guerra is coming off his championship-losing effort to Moreno, Figueiredo admitted that the Kape matchmaking confused him. Per the official UFC standings, Kape sits at No. 9 and Figueiredo occupies the No. 1 spot, and upon his return, Figueiredo expects to receive someone in the division’s top five.
“I admit I didn’t understand it,” Figueiredo said. “The UFC threw me the No. 9 ranked flyweight, and I don’t understand it, given I’m the No. 1.
“I hope to fight one of the top-5 [flyweights]. I’m in no hurry to recover from my injury. I talked to my manager and asked him to ask the UFC to give me someone in the top 5 and let everybody else fight.”
Figueiredo Threw Out a Few Names as Potential Opponents
Figueiredo has some names in mind for his Octagon comeback. Specifically, he’s eyeing a fight with Kai Kara-France, the No. 3 flyweight who is scheduled to fight No. 7 Amir Albazi on June 3, and No. 4 Brandon Royval.
“Kai Kara-France is someone I want to fight but unfortunately he has a fight booked now,” Deus da Guerra said. “And there’s also the guy that knocked out Matheus Nicolau, another great guy to fight me. I hope the UFC gives me one of those guys to fight me. I think I deserve it. I’m not asking for a title shot, I’m asking for someone in the top 5.”
Moreno, the man who is 2-1-1 against Figueiredo, is set to defend his flyweight strap against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290.
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Deiveison Figueiredo Gives Disappointing Update 3 Months After UFC Title Loss