Former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo’s return to the Octagon is indefinitely postponed.
Brazilian MMA journalist Carlos Antunes reported on Wednesday that Figueiredo recently had eye surgery and hasn’t been cleared by doctors. As of this writing, his UFC 290 targeted bout with Manel Kape is canceled.
It’s uncertain if Figueiredo vs. Kape will be re-booked for a later date, or if Kape will remain on UFC 290 against another opponent.
Figueiredo hasn’t fought since a tetralogy loss to Brandon Moreno at UFC 283 earlier this year. After losing the rubber match with Moreno, he seemed determined to move to bantamweight to begin a new chapter of his career.
Deiveson Figueiredo’s Fight vs. Manel Kape Has Been Postponed
Despite Figueiredo’s proclamation, many were surprised when the flyweight bout with Kape was set for UFC 290 in July. Figueiredo has gone on the record in describing how brutal his weight cuts to 125lbs are on his body.
Before the loss at UFC 283, Figueiredo reclaimed the flyweight title by defeating Moreno by unanimous decision at UFC 270. His first fight with Moreno resulted in a draw at UFC 256, followed by a submission loss at UFC 263.
Amidst speculation regarding his move to bantamweight, he was recently called out by bantamweight contender Rob Font. Font most recently defeated Adrian Yanez at UFC 287 earlier this month.
Figueiredo has plenty of options for his next fight, although it’s uncertain if he’ll remain a flyweight after this latest physical setback.
