Figueiredo Blames Weight Cut For Moreno Loss

Former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo believes a bad weight cut contributed to his submission loss to Brandon Moreno, which took place in the UFC 263 pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event last Sat. night (June 12, 2021) inside Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

That’s why “Daico” is calling for an immediate rematch.

“It really was the weight cut. I didn’t have a healthy weight cut, it was really hard to beat the weight,” Figueiredo told Combate (transcribed by Adam Martin). “I left the hotel feeling very bad. I knew it wasn’t my day, but I gave it into God’s hands, and going to the Octagon I said, ‘Lord, your will be done.’ I got in there, I didn’t really fight like I am and I really want to immediately ask for a rematch with Dana (White), and I hope get it because I won the first fight and even so they took a point from me and they decided to tie for the second fight. And now I want the trilogy. He got my belt, the first one I won and we’re going to fight this third fight now to take the fight off.”

The Brazilian is no stranger to bad weight cuts, particularly in title fights.

Figueiredo and Moreno battled to a majority draw in the UFC 256 main event last December, prompting the promotion to book an immediate rematch for UFC 263, which “The Assassin Baby” won by way of third-round submission (rear-naked choke).

“We need to be honest, he cuts too much weight,” Moreno said during the post-fight press conference. “I think it’s unnecessary. This sport is so hard because you cut weight because you want some advantage in the fight, you want to feel stronger, you want to feel with more energy than your opponent, but we saw the ‘Embedded’ (preview video), Figueiredo crying after making weight. Very dramatic, in the last minute of the time. I think it’s unnecessary, but obviously it’s not my decision, it’s the decision of his team and him.”

No word yet from the promotion on the future of either fighter.