UFC Macau Preview
The UFC is invading the Galaxy Arena in Macau, SAR, China on Saturday, November 23 for UFC Fight Night 248. The main event will be in the bantamweight division between former champion #3 Petr Yan and former two-time flyweight champion #5 Deiveson Figueiredo. The event will be the fourth time the UFC has landed in Macau but the first since 2014.
Yan is 1-3 in his last four fights but is coming off an impressive win over Song Yadong at UFC 299 in March. He won the vacant bantamweight title with a fifth round TKO over MMA legend Jose Aldo at UFC 251. He would lose the belt in his next fight with a disqualification loss to Aljamain Sterling and would lose a split decision in their rematch at UFC 273 in 2022.
The 31-year-old is still just one win away from being right back in the title conversation. Does Yan feel this way? “To be honest, I feel like I only have one real loss on my record, I believe that I’ll be able to compete with all of the top guys and challenge for a belt. Merab has been saying that he’s [Deiveson Figueiredo] the only real deserving challenger for his belt, so this is a good opportunity for me to get this position; beat him and challenge for the belt instead of him,” Yan said.
“Merab is currently champ but I believe that he’s not ready to defend his title just yet, especially against Umar; it seems like he is avoiding him. Also Umar, I believe he needs a couple of good wins too so with a win over Deiveson, I believe that I can get back into the title picture and challenge for the belt again.”
Yan thinks he will go on another title run because of his new fighting mentality. “I believe I matured,” Yan said. “Mentally, I’m on a different level now. It’s going to be a more serious approach now.”
How does Yan feel about fighting Figueiredo? “I don’t see a big difference since he switched divisions,” he said. “He has an unorthodox style. He has really strong sides that he used to get the wins, but I don’t see anything too special.”
While Yan wants to get the belt back, he wants to take a relaxed approach into this fight. “I’m just going to enjoy the moment,” Yan said. “I’m going to look at the crowd, look at the arena. There is a lot of fans from around the world who came here to support me, so I will be just focused and excited and in the moment.”
Yan has losses to the last three bantamweight champions, but collecting a win over a fighter who is generating hype in the bantamweight division such as Figueiredo is exactly what he needs to remind everyone why he was a champion.
Figueiredo has won three straight fights since moving up to the bantamweight division with victories over long-time contender Rob Font, former champion Cody Garbrandt and former title challenger Marlon vera. Just like Yan, a win for Figueiredo puts him at the top of the title conversation.
The Brazilian wants to prove he is worthy of that title shot. “I’m very hungry,” he said. “I’ll get into the Octagon, and I’ll prove I’m the better fighter. I want to go for the [bantamweight] belt. I feel a great sense of accomplishment from all I’ve done in both weight classes. I have nothing else to prove. Now I’m putting on shows for the fans in the weight class above [flyweight]. I’m here to fight, and I’m here to win.”
Figueiredo feels well prepared to defeat Yan. “We’ve studied him extensively,” Figueiredo said. “His game is full of holes. He doesn’t come from wrestling or jiu-jitsu. He likes to strike. I am a striker. We’re confident the fight will play out on the feet. I have many more weapons. I’ll be using them all against him.”
He continued, “I’m someone who undergoes a transformation when stepping into the Octagon,” he said. “I go in there looking to knock people out. I work hard, and I train with no limits.”
The former champion concluded by saying, “The UFC changed my life, and it’s from the UFC that I wish to retire,” Figueiredo said. “My plans are to keep having high-quality training sessions, to become a UFC champion again and, God willing, retire well.”
The 36-year-old won the vacant flyweight title in 2020 and would defend the belt one time before fighting to a draw with Brandon Moreno at UFC 256. This draw led to a fan-pleasing tetralogy with Moreno in which Figueiredo would lose the belt, win it back and then lose it for the last time in their fourth fight. Since then, he has been an alarming presence in the bantamweight division, and he has the chance to prove on Saturday that he has what it takes to become a two-weight champion.
The rest of the main card:
Women's Strawweight - #2 Yan Xiaonan vs. #10 Tabatha Ricci
Welterweight - Song Kenan vs. Muslim Salikhov
Women's Flyweight - Wang Cong vs. Gabriella Fernandes
Light Heavyweight - #8 Volkan Oezdemir vs. #10 Carlos Ulberg
Light Heavyweight- Zhang Mingyan vs. Ozzy Diaz
ESPN+ Prelims:
Bantamweight - Baergeng Jieleyisi vs. You Su-young
Flyweight - Kiru Singh Sahota vs. Choi Dong-hun
Women's Strawweight - Shi Ming vs. Feng Xiaocan
Flyweight - Nyamjargal Tumendemberel vs. Carlos Hernandez
Flyweight - Lone'er Kavanagh vs. Jose Ochoa
Bantamweight - Xiao Long vs. Quang Le
Lightweight - Maheshate Hayisaer vs. Nikolas Motta
