5 reasons why Deiveson Figueiredo shouldn’t move up in weight

Deiveson Figueiredo's reign as the UFC flyweight champion recently came to an end at UFC 283 in a historic quadrilogy bout against Brandon Moreno. 'Deus da Guerra' made his career as a power-punching submission specialist with hands of stone and an airtight guillotine.

At UFC 283, he was on home soil when he faced his longtime rival Brandon Moreno to unify the divisional titles.

'The Assassin Baby' was the interim titleholder, while 'Deus da Guerra' was the true divisional kingpin. The pair clashed thrice prior, and at UFC 283, they squared off in the promotion's first-ever quadrilogy. The bout was a thrilling affair that saw Moreno emerge victorious to once again claim divisional supremacy.

In the aftermath of his loss, Figueirdo announced his departure from the flyweight division. The former champion declared his intention to ply his trade in the bantamweight division. However, that might not be the best course of action for 'Figgy', and this list covers every reason why.

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#5. Deiveson Figueiredo will be abandoning the rivalry with Brandon Moreno

The rivalry between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno is like a money-making machine in the flyweight division.

The 125 lbs weight class doesn't usually draw fan interest. During years of Demetrious Johnson's reign as the divisional titleholder, none but the hardcore fans cared about the 125'ers.

Years later, not much has changed. The only thing that's changed is that the division now has a marquee matchup. Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo provide a matchup that attracts people in a way that no other flyweight bout does. The two rivals have faced each other four times now, and for good reason.

The UFC has recognized that the division has one highly marketable matchup. They've been milking it ever since the two men first collided, and it's been working because fans keep tuning in. Without Deiveson Figueiredo, a key ingredient in the matchup is gone.

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#4. It will thin out a division bereft of stars

The UFC flyweight division is home to two well-known names: Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno. No other fighter, no matter how highly skilled they are, has captured the attention of UFC fans. While 'The Assassin Baby' is a flyweight star, so was 'Deus da Guerra'.

The unfortunate part of the situation is that no other 125'er has much name value. If the former titleholder walks away from the division, not only will it leave the weight class without its marquee matchup, but it will also leave it without one of its only two stars.

The division will thin out without Deiveson Figueiredo, and there will be a limit on the number of flyweight fights that can be used for Fight Night main events or PPV co-main events.

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#3. The bantamweight division will be extremely difficult for Deiveson Figueiredo

Deiveson Figueiredo has a very peculiar fighting style that works under specific conditions. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist is a brutal finisher who is larger than almost every other 125'er on the UFC roster. Fighters who rely greatly on their size advantage always struggle against foes who match or exceed their dimensions.

The former divisional kingpin is successful when his foes offer him a tremendous amount of respect by limiting their striking engagements. If given space and time to patiently stalk his opponents, Figueiredo is as dangerous as they come. However, opponents who don't respect his knockout power always trouble him.

Fighters rarely give opponents that much respect unless they have a significant size disadvantage. At bantamweight, 'Deus da Guerra' will be undersized and outgunned by opponents much larger than he is.

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#2. Deiveson Figueiredo has better matchups at 125 lbs

At 125 lbs, Deiveson Figueiredo has the potential for great matchups. If he debuts in the bantamweight division, the novelty of his time in the new weight class will quickly wear off once his need for a size advantage is unveiled.

As a knockout artist with a vicious submission game at flyweight, 'Deus da Guerra' is versatile.

This renders matchups in both the striking and grappling departments interesting. Fellow flyweight Kai Kara-France is an interesting matchup due to his own breadth of finishing ability. How the former champion stands up to another tireless striker with few defensive holes is a question worth asking.

Will it be a barnburner or a repeat of UFC 283? Similarly, what would happen if Muhammad Mokaev tried to wrestle him? Will he counter a takedown with a guillotine choke or struggle? At bantamweight, how 'Deus da Guerra' will perform is almost a foregone conclusion.

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#1. A loss at 135 lbs would be quite damaging to his body

If Deiveson Figueiredo remains a flyweight, his ceiling is well-known. He is capable of capturing UFC gold at 125 lbs and has even defeated reigning titleholder Brandon Moreno. Even if he suffers a loss, he's more than capable of defeating other 125'ers. The same is unlikely to be true at bantamweight.

As mentioned in this article's first entry, the Brazilian knockout artist relies on having a size advantage and his opponent's fear of his vaunted punching power. Without it, he's almost ineffective as a fighter. At bantamweight, he also runs the risk of absorbing far more damage than he would at flyweight.

Bigger and more powerful 135'ers will force him into an offensively inert shell, which could lead to Figueiredo shortening his career due to sustaining too much damage. Most 135'ers today have a walk-around weight in the lightweight territory.

'Figgy' is as tough as they come, but he could be seriously compromised against the bantamweight behemoths.