After the dust settled on what was an exciting UFC Austin fight card, we all knew that challengers would emerge and then the call out of champions would begin.
With the former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo looking as great as he did in his bantamweight debut with powerful punches and well-timed takedowns against the number eight ranked Rob Font, there was no surprise that a call out from Figueiredo was going to happen.
The championship mentality that has been present for years in Deiveson Figueiredo will never disappear, so when asked about a potential fight with Sean O’Malley he didn’t hesitate to say he would be ready.
“Sean O’Malley is an incredible fighter and an excellent striker but, you know, I’ve been training with Henry Cejudo, I believe in my team, I trust my team, I trust the strategy and the gameplan that they put on,” Deiveson Figueiredo said during his time at the UFC Austin post-fight press conference.
“And, you know, I’m a Jiu-Jitsu guy, I’m a grappler. I just don’t like to use it, I didn’t use it as much. But this is where I am. And I do feel that if I fight against Sean O’Malley, if we get to the ground, I will finish him.” Figueiredo stated.
Deiveson Figueiredo Wants Sean O’Malley
Deiveson Figueiredo has set his eyes on the current bantamweight king even before his fight at UFC Austin played out with Font.
It is no surprise that O’Malley has a big bullseye on his back after capturing UFC gold. It seems like the entire bantamweight division feels that they could beat him if given the opportunity. There is no blueprint at the moment to beat O’Malley; as his career continues to bloom he simply looks better and better.
Now for O’Malley, he has a tough test with Chito Vera at UFC 299 on March 9, 2024 so the chances of him looking at a newcomer to the division like Figueiredo is unlikely at this time.
What’s Next for Deiveson Figueiredo
There are many fights for Deiveson Figueiredo in the bantamweight division to keep his mind occupied while O’Malley and Chito take care of their business in Miami at UFC 299. Figueiredo could see his name with a rank next to it after his performance against Font. Fights with Petr Yan or even Merab Dvalishvili are entertaining and hold a lot of value moving forward in the division.
How does a fight between Deiveson Figueiredo and Sean O’Malley play out? Does Figueiredo need more fights before he can be classified as a number one contender for O’Malley’s title? Let us know what you think!
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
