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Deiveson Figueiredo was expected to lock horns with Manel Kape at UFC 290. However, reports have now surfaced that the Brazilian will not be eligible to fight on the UFC 290 fight card on July 8, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Doctors determined that Figueiredo will be unable to compete due to eye injuries sustained in his most recent fight at UFC 283 in January, which ended with a defeat to Brandon Moreno by doctor stoppage.
In the latest episode of the MMA Fighting podcast Trocaço Franca, the former UFC flyweight champion announced his withdrawal from the event. The news was initially reported by Canal Encarada and as of right now, Kape's opponent for UFC 290 remains unknown.
Deiveson Figueiredo detailed the sequence of events in a recent episode of Trocação Franca, stating that doctors advised him to act in accordance with the full six-month medical suspension handed to him:
“I’m still injured. I asked for a fight, told my manager I wanted to fight already, but when he gave me the fight and I talked to my physical therapist and my ophthalmologist, [they said] my eyesight is still not 100 percent. 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 [after UFC 283].”
Deiveson Figueiredo claims he was surprised that he was handed a fight against No.9-ranked Manel Kape for UFC 290
Deiveson Figueiredo is eager to get back to winning ways following the loss to Brandon Moreno at UFC 283 earlier this year.
The Brazilian fighter will maintain a regular workout schedule, but will hold off on intense drills and sparring until late July. Even though Deiveson Figueiredo lost his last fight, he isn't thrilled about fighting Kape in his comeback bout. Speaking in the aforementioned interview, he stated:
“I admit I didn’t understand it. The UFC threw me the No. 9 ranked flyweight, and I don’t understand it, given I’m the No. 1. I hope to fight one of the top-5 [flyweights]. I’m in no hurry to recover from my injury. I talked to my manager and asked him to ask the UFC to give me someone in the top 5 and let everybody else fight.”
Deiveson Figueiredo further named contenders that he would like to challenge himself against once he's fit to compete again:
“Kai Kara-France is someone I want to fight but unfortunately he has a fight booked now. There’s also the guy that knocked out Matheus Nicolau, another great guy to fight me. I hope the UFC gives me one of those guys to fight me.”
