On November 23rd, Petr Yan will face Deiveson Figueiredo in a bantamweight bout at UFC Fight Night 248, held at the Galaxy Macau Arena in Macau, China.
Despite Yan’s recent setbacks, he is expected to receive equal betting odds with Figueiredo, if not slightly favored. Yan is clearly faster and more durable than his opponent, who no longer seems as dangerous as he once was.
Figueiredo’s last performance against journeyman Marlon Vera wasn’t impressive, fueling analysts’ skepticism. The Brazilian’s age is catching up with him, and the fire from his battles with Brandon Moreno seems to have faded.
Petr Yan
- Record: 17-5-0
- Background: Former interim UFC bantamweight champion, 1 UFC “Performance of the Night” and 3 “Fight of the Night” bonuses, blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Yan’s recent fight against Song Yadong was a turning point for his fans. After a rough first round, he rallied in the second, reminding everyone of the relentless striking machine they loved. It was exactly the kind of fight Yan needed to reset his mindset—forcing him to adapt mid-round, push forward, and apply pressure like he did in his earlier career.
Now, Yan is ready to outstrike a straightforward fighter like Figueiredo, who is unlikely to surprise him in stand-up or ground exchanges. The only question is how Yan’s recent injury will affect his wrestling game.
What to Expect from Yan Against Figueiredo
Don’t be surprised if Yan starts the fight cautiously, standing still in the first round. He tends to need a couple of punches to wake him up and get him into the fight.
The first round will be the most dangerous for Yan, as Figueiredo will likely target his injured leg with low kicks. Yan will need to stay light on his feet, pulling his body back to protect that leg.
Once Figueiredo lowers his guard and plays with distance, preparing for a takedown, Yan will unload a series of devastating overhands while closing the gap, looking to break Figueiredo with his sharp boxing combinations.
Yan’s Path to Victory
Yan’s chances are strong, especially with his wrestling ability and quick stand-ups. It’s likely that he will be taken down by Figueiredo at some point, but he’ll quickly get back to his feet and press the Brazilian with heavy strikes. These punches will not only discourage Figueiredo from further aggression but could also end the fight.
Yan must manage his stamina and distance carefully, preventing Figueiredo from staying at range and landing low kicks without consequence.
Deiveson Figueiredo
- Record: 24-3-1
- Background: Former UFC flyweight champion, 1 UFC “Performance of the Night” and 3 “Fight of the Night” bonuses, black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Figueiredo’s last fight against Marlon Vera showed that his championship aspirations are behind him. Over the 15 minutes, he managed to outwrestle a lower-tier fighter but didn’t show much in the stand-up department. His recent wins over Font and Garbrandt haven’t impressed analysts either.
If Figueiredo continues to rely solely on wrestling and lackluster striking, Yan will give him serious trouble.
What to Expect from Figueiredo Against Yan
Critics often focus on Yan’s declining stamina in his recent bouts with top fighters, but few mention that Figueiredo was gassed by the second round in his fight against Vera.
Figueiredo spent too much time circling his opponent, slowly preparing for a takedown, and somehow got a 30-27 scorecard from Judge Hughes. He’ll likely try the same strategy against Yan, working for slow, deliberate takedowns. While he may succeed in taking Yan down, by the end of the second round and into the third, Figueiredo won’t have the energy or reaction time to defend against Yan’s barrage of punches.
Figueiredo’s Path to Victory
Figueiredo’s chances depend on his ability to start strong, targeting Yan’s lead leg and disrupting his footwork early. If he can force Yan to limp and lose his mobility, he may gain control of the fight.
Figueiredo needs to fight smart, not rushing into takedowns. Instead, he should try to build a lead on the scorecards while avoiding close-range exchanges with Yan. If he can slow Yan down, his focus will shift to securing takedowns in the later rounds to finish the fight strong in the judges’ eyes.
Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Fight Prediction
The big question mark in this fight is Yan’s knee injury. If Figueiredo targets it effectively, he could cripple Yan’s movement, preventing him from closing the distance for his boxing combinations. Yan’s knee might also become an issue in grappling exchanges, especially if he gets caught in a disadvantageous position against the cage.
Still, despite the risk, we are betting on Yan’s victory. His striking power remains impressive, and he outmuscled the physically stronger Yadong, who is arguably more powerful than Figueiredo. If Yan lands a couple of heavy overhands, he could drop the Brazilian and transition to a controlling position on the ground.
The key for Yan will be to start faster, applying pressure early instead of letting Figueiredo get ahead on the scorecards. I expect Yan’s camp to make the necessary adjustments to shock Figueiredo early and make him panic.
While Yan’s leg injury could play a decisive role, I’m willing to take the risk and bet on a decision win for Yan, with the fight likely reaching the fourth round. Given the wrestling skills and durability of both fighters, we probably won’t see an early knockout or submission.