Figueiredo Overwhelms Benavidez, Claims Flyweight Crown in UFC Fight Night 172 Headliner

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Deiveson Figueiredo left no doubt this time around.

The Brazilian claimed the vacant flyweight crown with a thoroughly overwhelming effort, choking Joseph Benavidez unconscious 4:48 into the opening stanza of their UFC Fight Night 172 headlining encounter at Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. Figueiredo joins Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo as the third undisputed flyweight champion in UFC history.

Figueiredo (19-1, 8-1 UFC) was basically flawless in victory. He sat Benavidez (28-7, 15-5 UFC) down early with a right hook and followed him to the canvas, where he threatened his opponent with multiple rear-naked chokes. Amazingly, Benavidez managed to defend three deep attempts and return to his feet.

That only allowed Figueiredo to continue his assault. From there, “Daico” floored Benavidez with punches twice more. On the second occasion, he was finally able to finish the job on his resilient foe, as he bloodied Benavidez with brutal elbows from above before locking in another rear-naked choke and putting the World Extreme Cagefighting veteran to sleep.

“That's really what I've worked for,” Figueiredo said. “I've been saying all week I was gonna finish this fight in the first round, and I also wanted to put that first submission loss on his record. I finished him in the first round and that's exactly what happened.”

It was a tumultuous couple months for the 32-year-old Brazilian, who defeated Benavidez via second-round TKO in their first title bout on Feb. 29, but was ineligible to win the 125-pound belt due to missing weight one day prior. Then, the rematch was in jeopardy last week when he tested positive for COVID-19. Thanks to multiple negative tests, Figueiredo was ultimately able to prove that he was not infected with coronavirus — and after a delayed arrival in Abu Dhabi, he claimed his place atop the UFC’s flyweight division.

“I knew that my time was gonna come and this is my time, so I'm gonna continue to defend this belt and I'm gonna be an active champion,” he said.

Hermansson Stuns Gastelum with Heel Hook

Jack Hermansson took a significant step back toward contention in the middleweight division, as he scored a quick submission against “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner Kelvin Gateslum in the co-main event. “The Joker” forced Gastelum to tap out to a heel hook 78 seconds after the bout began, winning for the fifth time in his last six Octagon appearances.

“Everything I do in my life is working for this goal to become the best in the world,” said Hermansson, who rebounded from a loss to Jared Cannonier last September. “When you get the victory, there’s no feeling like that.”

During an initial exchange, Hermansson (21-5, 8-3 UFC) changed levels under a left hook from Gastelum (15-6, 1 NC, 10-6, 1 NC UFC) for a trip takedown only to see his opponent quickly reverse into top position. Gastelum lingered too long in his foe’s guard, however, allowing Hermansson to secure the leg lock and crank until the former interim title challenger was forced to wave the white flag.

“I believed that he would disengage and stand up, actually,” Hermansson said. “I didn’t think that he would engage with me, so I tried to be aggressive from the bottom.”

Related » UFC Fight Night 172 Round-by-Round Scoring

Body Work Propels Fiziev

Whipping body kicks and aggressive punching combinations carried Rafael Fiziev to a three-round verdict against flashy British striker Marc Diakiese in a lightweight clash. Two judges scored the bout 29-28, while a third saw it 30-27 — all in favor of the Phuket Top Team member.

Fiziev (8-1, 2-1 UFC) landed with authority throughout the contest, so much so that Diakiese — a renowned standup artist — was occasionally inclined to shoot for takedowns to slow the onslaught. “Bonecrusher” didn’t quit, and he did some of his best work in Round 3, when he snapped Fiziev’s head back with a couple solid right hands. It wasn’t enough to offset the work done by Kyrgyzstan native earlier in the contest, however.

Diakese (14-4, 5-4 UFC) sees a modest two-bout winning streak come to an end.

Relentless Askarov Outduels Pantoja

Consistent pace and pressure carried former Absolute Championship Akmat titlist Askar Askarov to a unanimous decision victory against Alexandre Pantoja in a pivotal matchup of flyweight contenders. All three judges scored the bout 29-28 in favor of the Fighting Eagle representative, who went the distance for the third time in three Octagon appearances.

Askarov (12-0-1, 2-0-1 UFC) was relentless in his pursuit of the takedown from the outset, but Pantoja had the edge in a frenetic opening stanza after threatening his Dagestani opponent with a multitude of submissions — including a back take at the end of the round.

Pantoja’s (22-5, 5-3 UFC) gas tank waned as the bout progressed, however, and Askarov continued to push the tempo with his wrestling in Round 2. The final frame brought a more deliberate pace from both men, but Askarov made a lasting impression on the judges by connecting with multiple straight punches.

Related » UFC Fight Night 172 Prelims: Dolidze Scores First-Round TKO in Octagon Debut

Lipski Taps Luana with Kneebar

Former KSW champion Ariane Lipski earned her second consecutive UFC triumph, submitting Luana Carolina with a devastating kneebar in a featured flyweight encounter. “The Violence Queen” drew the curtain on the bout at the 1:28 mark of Round 1, as her submission elicited a scream and a tapout from Carolina (6-2, 1-1 UFC).

Lipski (13-5, 2-2 UFC) assumed top position early in the fight after dropping her opponent with a right hand. Shortly thereafter, Lipski found herself trapped in a potential calf slicer, but she was able to gradually turn the tables in her favor. With the flyweights’ limbs entangled on the mat, Lipski worked to isolate Carolina’s leg, and once she was able to sit on her adversary’s chest and pull back on the leg, the bout was over in a matter of seconds.

“I really wanted the KO, but I was very confident in my jiu-jitsu,” said Lipski, who entered the UFC as one of the sport’s top 125-pound prospects before losing her first two Octagon appearances. “I’m young and I’m getting better every day. I have much more to show.”

Continue Reading » UFC Fight Night 172 Prelims: Alvarez Guillotines Duffy