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Former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo has set his sights on another former titleholder as he pursues his path to a bantamweight title shot. Figueiredo, who kicked off UFC 300 last Saturday in Las Vegas with a victory over former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt, is now 2-0 in his UFC bantamweight tenure following a unanimous decision win over Rob Font in December.
Having made the full-time move to the bantamweight division last year after a loss to Brandon Moreno in their flyweight title tetralogy at UFC 283, Figueiredo is determined to reclaim championship form.
In a recent interview with Brazilian publication Canal Encarada, Figueiredo expressed his desire for a dream fight against UFC legend Dominick Cruz.
"It would be amazing to fight at [UFC 303] in June," Figueiredo stated. "That depends on [Cruz]. If he signs the contract, I’m ready. I want to fight him, and I think he’s a guy who can take me to a title shot."
As of now, Cruz has not responded to Figueiredo's callout, nor has he hinted at a potential return to the Octagon. Cruz's last fight was a TKO loss to Marlon Vera in Aug. 2022, preceded by back-to-back decision wins over Pedro Munhoz and Casey Kenney in 2021.
Figueiredo's entry into the bantamweight title mix further intensifies the competition in the division. A victory over another former champion like Cruz could bolster Figueiredo's case to UFC matchmakers as a legitimate title threat in the stacked weight class.
With his reputation as a dangerous opponent for top bantamweights and flyweights intact, a matchup against Cruz holds the potential to secure Figueiredo a possible No. 1 contender fight and edge him closer to his championship aspirations.