"I want to make this fight happen" - Deiveson Figueiredo hopes to feature on UFC 303 card against "dream" opponent Dominick Cruz
Deiveson Figueiredo has claimed that he'd like to fight former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz next.
A former UFC flyweight champion, Figueiredo made his bantamweight divisional debut against Rob Font in Dec. 2023. The Brazilian MMA stalwart defeated Font via unanimous decision. Following that, 'Deus da Guerra' fought former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt at the landmark UFC 300 event in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on April 13, 2024.
Figueiredo bested Garbrandt via second-round submission, taking his bantamweight record to 2-0. In a subsequent interview with Canal Encarada (translated quotes courtesy of MMA Fighting), he outlined his plans.
The fearsome striker, who's also known for his ferocious submission prowess, indicated that he wants to fight Dominick Cruz next, ideally at UFC 303 (June 29, 2024). The UFC 303 event will be headlined by combat sports megastar Conor McGregor's comeback match against Michael Chandler.
Figueiredo highlighted that Cruz is a big-name opponent and boasts an important place in the UFC organization's history. Furthermore, 'Deus da Guerra' alluded to the fact that 'The Dominator' has consistently worked as a UFC analyst/commentator and is always in the spotlight. He stated:
"People are throwing some names at me, but what I really want is to fulfill a dream of mine, which is to face Dominick Cruz."
The UFC hasn't officially announced Figueiredo or Cruz's respective next opponents and comeback dates. Regardless, the former flyweight titleholder has emphasized that he'll be prepared for a possible fight against 'The Dominator' at UFC 303. He even stayed back in Las Vegas for a few more days after UFC 300 to work on himself at the UFC PI (Performance Institute).
Furthermore, Figueiredo asserted that Cruz is an opponent who could lead him to a bantamweight title match.
"For me, it would be sensational to fight on the [Conor] McGregor card in June. That depends on [Cruz] signing the contract, and I'll be ready. I want to fight him. I want to make this fight happen."
Watch Deiveson Figueiredo's interview below:
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Dominick Cruz: A closer look at the two former UFC champions' recent runs
Heading into UFC 300, Deiveson Figueiredo notably opined that reigning undisputed UFC bantamweight champion 'Sugar' Sean O'Malley's reign won't last long. Speaking to MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz, Figueiredo claimed he foresees himself facing the No.1-ranked UFC bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili for an interim bantamweight title or for the undisputed bantamweight title.
Figueiredo followed up his bold claim with a dominant victory over Cody Grabrandt. The 36-year-old has improved to 3-2 in his past five octagon appearances.
On the contrary, Dominick Cruz has bagged two wins and suffered three defeats in his past five fights. The 39-year-old's most recent octagon outing transpired in Aug. 2022 and saw him lose to Marlon 'Chito' Vera via fourth-round KO. The MMA legend hasn't competed since but still holds the No. 11 spot in the official UFC bantamweight rankings, while Deiveson Figueiredo is at No. 6.