Brandon Moreno Disputes UFC 270 Defeat, Deiveson Figueiredo Non-Committal Toward Fourth Bout

The third meeting between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno almost didn’t happen.

Due to a knee injury suffered by Alexandre Pantoja, Figueiredo was able to step in for a trilogy and made the most of his opportunity, edging Moreno via unanimous decision in a thrilling five-round affair in the UFC 270 co-main event. While the Brazilian mentioned a fourth bout with Moreno in the Octagon during his post-fight interview, he struck a different chord at Saturday’s post-fight press conference.

“Brandon didn’t give me the chance to fight him again,” the Figueiredo said. “He didn’t want to, except Pantoja got hurt. That’s why the UFC gave him the fight. If he behaves well for the next couple months, we’ll figure this out.”

While Figueiredo was outlanded in significant strikes by Moreno, “Deus da Guerra” connected with more authority in the bout, including three knockdowns. Two of those came in the third round, when Moreno may have been saved by the horn.

“If it was 30 seconds more, I feel I would have gotten him,” Figueiredo said. “I think he lost his senses a little bit. He looked like he was not feeling too well there and was kind of saved by the buzzer. I feel his soul left his body, and I feel with 30 seconds I would have killed it.”

While Figueiredo got the nod on all three judges scorecards, Moreno wasn’t happy with the final verdict.

“It’s weird. It’s a weird feeling because it’s the first time in my life where I lost a decision, but I felt like I won,” Moreno said at the post-fight presser. “I remember my last two loses against (Alexandre) Pantoja and (Sergio) Pettis, and I knew in that moment I lost. I was like, ‘OK, this feels like s--t, but I know I lost.’ But this time I felt like I won.

“But it is what it is because it was a really hard fight. He had his own moments, too, and I need to recognize that. I don’t want to be that guy that makes excuses. Deiveson did an amazing job and a better game plan. I just want to go back to the gym, spend time with my family, watch the fight again and be back stronger.”

Figueirdo has another potential opponent in mind if the UFC doesn’t move toward making a fourth matchup with Moreno right away.

“Kai Kara France, obviously,” Figueiredo said. “I want to knock him out, and he knocked out Cody Garbrandt, so that’s the guy I wanted to knock out. It’s not in my interest to fight Cody any more, so it’s Kai Kara- France.”

Of course, Kara France has business of his own to attend to, as he must first get past fellow contender Askar Askarov at UFC on ESPN 33 on March 26. Figueiredo acknowledged that another fight against Moreno would probably be more financially lucrative.

“If it’s a good fight, if he behaves well, and if we can do it as a kickass pay-per-view in the United States, this is where I fight, this is where I want to make my money,” Figueiredo said. “Brandon was talking about the fact that I was his biggest sponsorship. I told him I was going to take that away from him. So fighting Brandon is going to be the thing that gives me more money.”

As the one without the belt, Moreno is already itching for the chance to get revenge against his Brazilian rival.

“It’s crazy because the door is open for the fourth fight against this guy – and that’s amazing,” Moreno said. “I’m just trying to be very positive in my life and I can see that possibility and start to make more history with this guy. I’m more hungry than ever and I want to see this guy again. This is the game.”