UFC 256: A New History in Flyweight Division
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno ends in majority draw following potential Fight of the Year at UFC 256
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| pix: ESPN |
The UFC flyweight division was on the verge of elimination as recently as 11 months ago. Now, it might have just produced the best MMA fight of 2020.
In one of the best fights of the year, Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) emerged as the last champion to defend this calendar year when he fought Brandon Moreno (18-5-2 MMA, 6-2-2 UFC) to a majority draw in the main event, keeping his belt in the process. Figueiredo, the defending flyweight champion, retained the title because of the draw. It was only the fourth draw in UFC championship history.
After both athletes accepted the headline slot just 21 days after they competed at UFC 255, Figueiredo and Moreno brought the best out of each other as they battled it out in a back-and-forth war for all 25 minutes. When it was over, the judges scored the fight 48-46 for Figueiredo with two more scorecards returned 47-47, which meant the bout was declared a majority draw.
"We need a rematch," Moreno, the first Mexican-born fighter to compete for a UFC title, said in his postfight interview. "We need that rematch. I think so. For myself, for Figueiredo, for the fans, for everybody. For the sport, of course."
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| pix: Google |
"That's another fun fight for all of us to look forward to in 2021," he said.
Figueiredo, known for his first-round barrages, stalked Moreno early, moving forward and landing hard shots. But Moreno, unlike many Figueiredo opponents, would not go away. In fact, Moreno had strong moments in the second, including a huge overhand right and a big combination at the end of the round.
"If they want to put him in front of me next fight, I'm open to that," Figueiredo said.
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