UFC 290 is still some way out but has already seen a lot of controversy tied to it. With the event still more than a month away, some significant shake-ups are still to be had. Most notably, Deiveson Figueiredo will not be fighting at UFC 290.
Previously, UFC President Dana White made a ‘special announcement’ regarding International Fight Week and UFC 290. During the announcement, White mentioned that Deiveson would be taking on #9 ranked flyweight Manel Kape in the event’s prelims. However, as it turns out Figueiredo had already revealed that he would not be fighting at UFC 290.
Our #UFC290 main event is OFFICIAL!
Dana White just dropped the entire main card for International Fight Week and it’s HUGE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aoNWRRiJvb
— UFC (@ufc) May 10, 2023
Earlier this year, Figgy took on Brandon Moreno at UFC 283. Unfortunately, Deiveson lost the fight, due to what many claimed was an eye poke. As it turns out, Deiveson may not have fully recovered yet. According to various combat sports reporters, Figgy has revealed that the fight is still off despite the announcement.
For the most part, the fight in question is a rather puzzling matter in itself. For those unaware, “Deus De Garra” is a former two-time flyweight champion. Despite his second loss to Moreno, he is the #1 ranked contender in the division. Thus, it is rather confusing as to why he was booked to fight the #9 ranked Manel Kape, that too on the first fight of the preliminary card.
Why is Deiveson Figueiredo not fighting at UFC 290?
As mentioned previously, Deiveson had revealed that he would not be fighting at UFC 290. Whilst some assumed that he may have felt disrespected by the UFC, it is actually not the case. In a segment with Canal Encarada, Figgy first revealed that he would not be able to fight in July.
Further, in a podcast last month, Figgy spoke a little more about the situation. Initially, Figueiredo himself asked for a fight, but after consulting his physiotherapist and ophthalmologist, he was told that his eyesight was still recovering. “There are days I see things normal, but there are days it’s not OK, especially the days after I train, so they decided I had to go the full six-month (medical suspension) the ophthalmologist gave me”.
Thus, Figgy will not be able to engage in heavy training or hard sparring until the end of July. Despite the setback, the Brazilian is keen to stay fit and active. Moreover, it is expected that Figueiredo will have a few words with the UFC matchmakers afterward as well. Although money is likely no issue for Figueiredo any longer, he will want to challenge himself against the best of the best.
As such, Deiveson would likely prefer fighting someone in the top 5 rather than fighting someone much lower than him. Currently, it is unknown whether Manel Kape will still fight on the UFC 290 undercard. With International Fight Week still some way off, it shouldn’t be too difficult for the UFC to find a suitable replacement for the Portuguese fighter.
