Brandon Moreno’s manager: Deiveson Figueiredo rivalry the Ali-Frazier of the UFC flyweight division
In January, Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno will square off for the fourth time to potentially put an end to one of the greatest rivalries in sports history. It reminds Jason House, Moreno's manager, of the legendary boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
The fight between Figueiredo and Moreno at UFC 256 in December 2020 ended in a draw. Then, in the rematch, Moreno defeated Figueiredo via third-round submission at UFC 263 in June 2021 becoming the first fighter of Mexican descent to claim a UFC title. At UFC 270 in January of last year, Figueiredo exacted retribution by defeating Moreno by a razor-thin unanimous decision to reclaim the championship.
The main event of UFC 283 will be the clash between Figueiredo vs. Moreno. For its return to Brazil, a crucial market for the promotion, the UFC is considering several other headlining choices. The UFC will return to Brazil for the first time since March 2020, and fans will witness a Brazil UFC event for the first time since November 2019.
As they approach their fourth meeting, House reflects on the conflict between his client and Figueiredo and realizes how much the two rivals have benefited from one another.
“This journey has been surreal, it’s been almost storybook,” House said on The MMA Hour. “I’m so excited for this fourth fight with Figueiredo. You need that dance partner. If you want to leave a legacy in this sport, you need that dance partner.
“People are like, ‘Oh, do you like Figueiredo?’ Like, dude, I love them. I hope they’re making a ton of money; I hope we’re making a ton of money, and I hope these guys continue to make magic in the cage because I think they needed each other for both of their legacies. [They’re the] Ali-Frazier of the flyweight division.”
To excite spectators for the fight with title holder Figueiredo and the promotion's return to Brazil for the first time since right before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the planet, House joined Moreno at a UFC 283 media briefing this month in Brazil. It would be an irony to declare that Rio de Janeiro is prepared for this occasion.
“[The vibe was] awesome,” House said. “You can tell they’re itching to have an event there and everyone’s excited to see this fourth one go down. Rio is a mecca of sorts for MMA so it’s great to be back down there.”