Deiveson Figueiredo ultimately claimed the UFC flyweight title with his second win in excess of Joseph Benavidez in less than five months.
Figueiredo remaining no uncertainties and no controversy at UFC on ESPN+ 30 on Saturday on Combat Island in Abu Dhabi, choking Benavidez out cold in the to start with spherical.
Figueiredo and Benavidez initial achieved to determine a new UFC flyweight winner on Feb. 29. Absolutely nothing went as prepared. Figueiredo missed body weight, but defeated Benavidez. Owning missed excess weight, he was ineligible to earn the belt.
The rematch was set for UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, but the rematch was just about derailed.
Figueiredo tested constructive for COVID-19 in advance of his departure from Sao Paulo to Paris. He and his management insisted on a 2nd take a look at, explaining that Figueiredo had currently had and recovered from the ailment caused by the novel coronavirus two months prior.
He was retested, which came back destructive, and thus flew to Abu Dhabi, wherever he was analyzed at minimum 3 extra moments before last but not least stepping in the cage on Saturday. With all the controversy that swirled close to the initial match-up and the in the vicinity of overlook with the original COVID-19 favourable check, Figueiredo looked to go away no issues about his position soon after the rematch.
He dropped Benavidez early in the initially round. Figueiredo promptly pounced, landing two challenging elbows right before slipping to the back and sinking a rear-naked choke. The choke was deep, but Benavidez somehow escaped.
Two extra occasions Figueiredo would sink the choke. Two additional situations Benavidez would escape in advance of the fight at last returned to the toes.
That wasn’t any superior for Benavidez, nonetheless, as Figueiredo dropped him again, but he popped proper back again up, but was large-eyed and looked dazed.
As the opening round wore down, Figueiredo dropped Benavidez yet again. This time he dropped to his knees and unloaded a flurry of large elbows. Figueiredo then moved to full mount, continuing to drop bombs on Benavidez, who experienced minimal defense.
Figueiredo once again moved to Benavidez’s again and sunk the rear-naked choke. This a single was even further than his earlier attempts and he had Benavidez stretched out, maximizing the influence of the choke. He set Benavidez to slumber.
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Benavidez however experienced his eyes open up, so it took referee Marc Goddard a second to cease the combat, but which is accurately what he did as quickly as he recognized that Benavidez’s consciousness experienced left the creating with 12 seconds left in the 1st spherical.
“I knew my time would arrive and this was my time. I’m going to protect my belt and be an active winner,” Figueiredo said immediately after the combat.
“I’ve been declaring all week I was going to complete this struggle in the to start with round and I also preferred to put that very first submission decline on his history. I concluded him in the very first round and which is just what occurred.
“It was a really prolonged week. I was locked up in Sao Paulo in a home for six days to show that I was COVID adverse. I arrived to Abu Dhabi. Was in a space for a different two times. So I was in a position to conquer all that. I was capable to occur in right here and I’m the champion now,” he continued.
“I’m going to be a extremely hard time for everyone that arrives just after me.”