UFC Fight Night Norfolk - Main event in jeopardy as Deiveson Figueiredo fails to make weight
UFC Fight Night Norfolk was building up to be an intriguing card with Joseph Benavidez set to go head to head against Deiveson Figueiredo for the vacant flyweight title in the main event but the weigh-ins had a shocker in store.
Figueiredo missed weight by 2.5 lbs leading to him being rendered ineligible to compete for the title and will be forced to forfeit 30 per cent of his purse. It was initially assumed that Figueiredo may still make a last attempt but UFC officials informed ESPN that further weight cutting won't be possible for Figueiredo.
This leaves only Benavidez eligible to win the title and hopefully, save the future of the UFC flyweight division, otherwise, with former champion Henry Cejudo now moving up to bantamweight permanently, the division will be stuck in a rut with no champion even after a title fight between two top contenders.
The 35-year-old will be looking to finally lay claim on the gold that has eluded him throughout his career as he enters the Octagon for the third title fight in his career, having suffered from a pair of losses via decision and KO respectively, to Demetrious 'The Mighty Mouse' Johnson.