Deiveson Figueiredo just did enough to get his hand raised at UFC Rio. The former two-time flyweight king edged out Montel Jackson by split decision in a slow, grind-it-out fight that left fans divided but gave ‘Deus da Guerra’ something he badly needed, a win. It wasn’t vintage Figueiredo. The speed, the chaos, the signature power were all muted.

But the victory keeps him alive in the bantamweight mix, and the Brazilian wasted no time calling for the division’s reigning machine: Merab Dvalishvili. That’s the goal. But will Dana White see it that way? Let’s look at three matchups that make sense next for the former champ.

Merab Dvalishvili vs Deiveson Figueiredo

It’s bold, but Figueiredo makes a fair point. Dvalishvili has beaten almost every top contender, Cejudo, Yan, and Sandh

See Full Page