MMAOB staff writer Adam Martin takes a deeper look at the co-main event of UFC 283, a five-round UFC flyweight title bout between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno. The event takes place on Saturday, January 21 at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Deiveson Figueiredo (-110)
Figueiredo (21-2-1) is the UFC flyweight champion. The 35-year-old Brazilian has been in the UFC for six years now and he has fought and defeated many of the best flyweights in the sport. He is one of the biggest punchers in his weight class and he also has great submissions as well. Overall, he is one of the most well-rounded fighters in his weight class. One flaw that he has is his conditioning, as he cuts a lot of weight and tends to slow down in the later rounds. But overall he is one of the best fighters in his weight class and he has proven on two occasions now that he is the world champion.
Brandon Moreno (-110)
Moreno (20-6-2) is the interim UFC flyweight champion. The 29-year-old Mexican has had two stints in the UFC dating back to 2016 and he has looked great the entire time. He is one of the most well-rounded fighters in his weight class as well as he’s shown great skills on the feet and on the ground. He is also very durable and difficult to finish. There is a lot to like about Moreno and he has shown throughout his UFC run that he has what it takes to be a world champion. His rivalry with Figueiredo has been one of the best to watch in the weight class for several years now and we will finally see it comes to an end when they take on each other for the fourth and presumably the last time here.
Fight Breakdown: This should be an awesome fight between two of the best flyweights in the sport. These two have obviously fought three times in the past, and have gone 1-1-1, so they are well accustomed to fighting each other and they know what each brings to the table. This is certainly not an easy fight to call, but I lean towards Figueiredo defending his title. In what should be a competitive fight, I think fighting in Brazil will give him the extra edge to win close rounds with the judges. It should be a fun fight for as long as it lasts, but I see Figueiredo winning by decision.
Prediction: Deiveson Figueiredo wins by decision
