I guess I was probably wrong about that Divison Figueroa.
Before UFC 255, which was a huge one three weeks ago, I said I didn’t know that Figueroa was a person to take care of the flight lights to the people, at least to a degree that wasn’t there before. I thought it was more likely that Figueroa would be part of a larger alliance – a. Group The flyweight that will pop the division through competitive battles.
Well, there was nothing competitive about Figueroa’s rapid demise Alex Perez On November 21, and now here he is defending his title again three weeks later in the fastest return by a defending champion in UFC history. Figueroa – figs? Fuggy? Faggy Smalls? I think there’s something here – definitely applying his brand to Flyweight.
Figueroa (20-1) is ready to style the massive 2020 campaign as he defends his 125-pound belt. Brendan Moreno (18-5-1) At the UFC 256 main event on Saturday at the Progress Apex Facility in Las Vegas. If he succeeds, Figueroa will likely be the only one-on-one challenge for Fighter of the Year – and will set up a high-level fight against the former Bantamweight champion. Cody Garbrand. (Unless other plans intervene.)
It’s going to be interesting to see where things go for Figueroa, on many fronts. Obviously, from a competitive point of view, he’s been amazing, but he still has a lot of challenges and some answers. This weekend, for example, I’m looking forward to seeing if Moreno can take him to the next round, and if so, what the one-time champion will look like.
Outside of that, his future is just as exciting. Figueroa will take care of the appearance and style of a champion people. And he seems to have a natural talent for playing some of the villains. As the battle approached, he found an ugly line that came out. And the prediction of the end of his first round will not be old if he continues them.
But we are talking about a division in which the last two Champions (A) left the promotion unhappily. Years Failing to resonate with the fans and (b) left the division in less than a year to advance the underweight class and then (in part) retired due to lack of big money fights. History has shown that it is difficult for a 125-pound champion to break through the wall of stardom.
That’s why I said three weeks ago that I was not ready to anoint Figueroa as a man. But if he keeps doing what he is doing, he must prove me wrong in a very short time.
By numbers
21: The day when UFC 255 will be fighting from November 21 will be the night of the battle, on which both Figueroa and Moreno competed. Saturday’s fight represents the fastest change for a champion (previous UFC record was 56 days, shared by Rhonda Russian And Matt Hugh or) And even faster for a challenge (last record: 28 days later) Derrick Lewis).
4: UFC Champions who won the ballot and saved their first title by the end of the first round. Figueroa is the latest, joining the two-division champion Amanda Nunz (Who did it on Bennett), Heavyweight Champion Stipe Myosic And a former heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.
0: Mexican-born fighters who have won the UFC Championship. Moreno, born and raised in Tijuana, is trying to become First.
63.6: The percentage of significant strike attempts that Moreno has successfully defended in the UFC placed third-best in active flyweights. Figueroa is also in the top 10, at 52.1%.
7: Completed by Figueroa at the UFC, tying him to the former champion Demetrius Johnson For the most in the history of the flyweight division.
Source: ESPN statistics and information and UFC statistics
Five vs. five
The most recent results from the division Figueroa
Wins: Alex Perez (Sub 1, November 21, 2020; Watch on ESPN +)
Wins: Joseph Benavides (Taxub 1, July 19, 2020; Watch on ESPN +)
Win: Joseph Benavidez (TK2, February 29, 2020; Watch on ESPN +)
Wins: Tim Elliott (Sub 1, October 12, 2019; Watch on ESPN +)
Wins: Alexandre Pantoza (UD, July 27, 2019; Watch on ESPN +)
The latest results from Brandon Moreno
Wins: Brandon Raiwal (Vaccine 1, November 21, 2020; Watch on ESPN +)
Wins: Juicier Formiga (UD, March 14, 2020; Watch on ESPN +)
Wins: Cara-France (UD, December 14, 2019; Watch on ESPN +)
Draw: Oscar Askarov (S.D., September 21, 2019; Watch on ESPN +)
Wins: Michael Perez (TKO4, June 7, 2019)
Film study of Dom and Gill
On the surprising approach of Gilbert Melandes Figueroa:
1:48
Gilbert Mallendez demonstrates how flyweight champion Davison Figueroa keeps guessing at his opponents as to where he will stand and hit them.
Dominic Cruz focuses on Moreno’s left arm:
1:46
Dominic Cruz broke down as Brendon Moreno needed to use his lead left hand to decide the distance vs. Davison Figueroa at UFC 256.
And the winner is …
I’m all on the Figueroa train at this place. I thought his three series so far in 2020 would be competitive, and he finished them in the second round, the first round and the first round. So I will never vote against this man again. I love Moreno’s humility, his faith and his cardio. If it goes to the fourth and fifth rounds, I think we will have a very interesting fight in our hands. But I’m going to end up doubting the ability of figured rados to end. By Figueroa submission, second round.
How to watch fights
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There is also Fight Center, Which offers live updates for each UFC card.
Saturday battle cards
PPV (via ESPN +), 10 a.m. ET
Divison Figueroa (C) Vs. Brendan Moreno | Men’s Flyweight
Tony Ferguson Vs. Charles Oliveira | Light weight
Mackenzie scared Vs. Virna Jandiroba | Straw weight
Jacqueline Souza Vs. Kevin Holland | Middleweight
Junior dos Santos Vs. Cyril Gain | Heavyweight
ESPN2 / ESPN +, 8 a.m. ET
That ub b swanson Vs. Daniel Pina | Men’s weight
Renato Moicno Vs. Raphael Fitzgerald | Light weight
Gavin collision Vs. Billy Quarantine | Men’s weight
Tessia Torres Vs. Sam hi ug or | Straw weight
ESPN +, 7: 30 pm PM
Chase Hooper Vs. Peter Barrett | Men’s weight
(C) = Rescue Champion
A co-occurring event that follows no one
0:58
Dominic Cruz explains how Tony Ferguson uses his unique approach to the striking game to open up big chances against his opponents.
Tony Ferguson! Charles Oliveira! Reasons for being excited:
Ferguson has a busy body: He carried out 1,051 significant light-weight strikes in the UFC, the third-largest in division history. Ferguson won 14 of 155 pounds, leaving him just behind Donald Serron (19) and Francisco Trinaldo (15) After that, when he made his UFC debut in 2011. Did.
Oliveira is a show stopper: He has 16 UFCs eliminated, to be tied with Serron for the most time in history. He has ended his last seven battles, the second longest in the history of the UFC’s modern era.Anderson Silva, 8). Oliveira’s 14 advance wins stand as the only record in the UFC. Overall of his career, he has a 93% finish rate, with 27 stops (19 sub, 8 cous) in 29 wins.
Six more things to know (from ESPN Status and Information)
1. Kevin HollandWho faces the middle weight veteran Jacqueline Souza, Joining, trying to become the third fighter in the modern era of the UFC to go 5-0 or better in a calendar year Neil Magni (2014) and Roger Huerta (2007).
2. If the former is a heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos Beaten Cyril Gain, This will be his 16th UFC win, tied with him Frank Mir For others in heavyweights, behind Andrei Arlowski (19).
3. That ub b swanson He will be looking for his 12th UFC win when he fights Daniel Pina. He will go on to place Swanson in third place in the list of Federweight wins Max Holloway (16) and Darren Elkins (14).
. Jiu-Jitsu S. Mackenzie scared, Which is facing Brazilian Strovet Virna Jandiroba, Will break a tie who will seek his fourth deposit win in the UFC (with Rose Namazun And Cynthia Calvillo) At the top of the All-Time Strovet Submissions list. Zendiroba has won two Strovet fights by submitting, so a win against Darren will put him at the top of the list.
5. Tessia Torres The UFC faces newcomers Sam hi ug orWho fought later this week Angela Hill I had to pull out. Torres has seven Strovet wins, a shameful former champion Carla Esparja Second in the history of partition.
. Chase Hooper, A 4-1 favorite against Federer Weight Peter BarrettIs the youngest fighter on the card at 21 years old. Hooper is trying to become the 25th fighter in UFC history to win so many fights at the age of 22. The list includes former champions. Vitor Belfert, Robbie Lawler, John Jones And Max Holloway.
ESPN’s Jeff Wagenheim contributed to the pre-war vision.
