Deiveson Figueiredo is champion again, and he plans to leverage that position as much as possible.
The Brazilian star regained the UFC flyweight title in his trilogy bout with Brandon Moreno at UFC 270, winning a unanimous decision over his rival to even their series at 1-1-1. Moreno has called for an immediate fourth fight due to the third being closely contested, which would be the first time ever that two fighters were booked to fight four times in the UFC (and consecutively, no less).
Figueiredo has already said that he is more interested in facing the surging Kai Kara-France, who fights Askar Askarov on March 26. On the Monday edition of The MMA Hour, he said if the UFC wants to do something unprecedented with he and Moreno, then they should be ready to pay up.
“I think no,” Figueiredo said in Portuguese with translation assistance from his manager Wallid Ismail. “I think about Kai Kara-France. I have the price for the fourth fight. If the UFC wants the fourth fight, I want to ask the price, because if the UFC wants to do something historic, let’s go pay historic money for the flyweight division. … Whoever pay better for me, this is the guy I’m gonna fight.”
Prompted for a dollar amount, Figueiredo answered that he’s aiming to net seven figures, and he wasn’t shy about sharing his plans for that money.
“One million dollars,” Figueiredo said. “I like one million dollars.”
“More money, more pay-per-view, and the more money I make the more gold I’m gonna buy,” he continued. “You know Iron Man? You’re gonna see the ‘Gold Man.’”
In the lead-up to his third fight with Moreno, Figueiredo was notably more brash on the microphone, perhaps influenced by his team of Ismail, coach Eric Albarracin, and former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo, all of whom are known for their outspoken personalities.
According to Figueiredo, he has a new view of how to do business that extends beyond just how he performs on fight night.
“I want someone who knows how to sell,” he said. “I want to fight against who — not just the money I’m gonna make, I want to sell a lot of pay-per-view, I want to show the world to respect the flyweight division. I want somebody who knows how to sell, knows how to talk. Who sells better is gonna be my opponent.”
“Personally, I think the fight is Moreno because no fights going to sell more than that,” Ismail added. “I think [Figueiredo] deserves the money he wants. UFC is amazing. The UFC always takes care of who knows how to sell and this guy, he knows how to sell. I don’t need to say nothing. You saw the press conference.”
While Ismail sounds eager to see Figueiredo square off with Moreno again, the champion himself doesn’t seem as enthusiastic about the possibility. He shot down the possibility of fighting in Moreno’s home country of Mexico and then expressed animosity toward Moreno, though he did not elaborate as to why he particularly dislikes his rival.
“Brandon Moreno [is a] motherf*cker,” Figueiredo said in English. “I don’t like Brandon Moreno.”
Figueiredo and Isamil reiterated that regardless of any hatred their might be between the two fighters, if a fight with Moreno draws eyeballs, then they’re all for it.
“We’re gonna talk to the UFC,” Figueiredo said. “I want to fight with who’s gonna sell. I’m tired of Brandon Moreno, but if Brandon Moreno’s gonna sell, the UFC wants Brandon Moreno, I’ll fight Brandon Moreno. We just talk about the numbers now.”
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