“Deus da Guerra” still has title hopes.
Former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo returns to action against surging contender Montel Jackson in the co-main event of UFC Rio this weekend (Sat., Oct. 11, 2025), which goes down inside Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In mixed martial arts (MMA), momentum can disappear fast — and just one year ago, Figueiredo was right back in the title conversation in his new division after impressive wins over Cody Garbrandt (watch highlights) and Marlon Vera. But back-to-back losses to Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen derailed his Bantamweight rise, leaving the Brazilian veteran in a must-win position heading into Saturday night.
Still, Figueiredo isn’t giving up on gold. In fact, he believes he can skip the line or “at least get close” to earning a 2026 title fight against reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili if he defeats Jackson in Rio.
“That’s the plan. Beat a guy who’s on a winning streak and earn a title shot against Merab,” Figueiredo told . “All the top names in the division, from my position at No. 6 up to the top, Merab has already beaten almost all of them. The only one missing is me. If I win this fight, I’ll keep training hard and focus on him. That’s who I want to fight. He’s already challenged me before, he’s made it clear he wants that fight, so let’s make it happen. You can be sure I’ll do everything to win on Saturday and face him next.”
Even with a spectacular performance over Jackson, “Deus da Guerra” will likely have to wait — especially with Yan expected to get his rematch with Dvalishvili next. But Figueiredo insists that when his turn comes, he’ll be ready to match the Georgian’s trademark pace.
“It was an excellent fight [between Dvalishvili vs. Sandhagen],” Figueiredo said. “It’s the same style as always — he mixes things up, sometimes striking, sometimes taking you down. It’s similar to my style. He’s got great cardio, but I can train for that too, just like I always have. People know I can go five rounds without getting tired. Even at my age, I still have the gas tank to face him.”
Figueiredo enters UFC Rio as a +220 underdog against Jackson, but a statement win in front of his home crowd could put the former champ right back in the title picture — and on a collision course with “The Machine.”
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Rio fight card, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 7 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To checkout the latest and greatest UFC Rio: “Oliveira vs. Gamrot” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
