Deiveson Figueiredo served notice that he’ll be a problem for anyone at bantamweight tonight at UFC On ESPN 52 by earning a clean-sweep victory on the scorecards over Rob Font.
Round One:
Font taking the center of the Octagon early in the fight. He lands a straight right. Figueiredo looks to clinch up. Font breaks away.
Figueiredo nicely in on a single-leg, but Font does well to scramble right back to his feet.
Figueiredo picks out a clean right hand. Jab for Font. Now another right hand from Figueiredo. Figueiredo lands a well-timed takedown as Font was coming into range.
He keeps him down a little longer this time, but Font is still quickly working back upright and back to striking range.
Long straight punches from Font. Now he shunts around to the back and tries to work a takedown, but Figueiredo prevents it and breaks free.
nice jab for Font. Swing and a miss from Figueiredo and Font is looking to counter. However as Font throws it’s now Figueiredo who lands a hard counter. Another punch lands and Font is a bit wobbled. Figueiredo pressing forward, but Font is able to survive.
Crisp jab from Font and Figueiredo squints momentarily. Figueiredo clinches up, but Font gets free. Both seem to land a punch at the same time and Font comes off worst from that. Now both land leg kicks as the round comes to an end.
Round Two:
Font feels out with the jab then Figueiredo lands a right hand. Figueiredo goes into the clinch and marches Font over to the cage. He tries for a trip, but nothing doing. Figueiredo works a knee to the body but it strays close to the groin and the ref steps in to give Font time to recover.
Font soon back to action though. One-two for Font. Figueiredo clinches and Font lands an uppercut. Back out of the clinch and Font lands. Figueiredo tries for the takedown but nothing doing this time.
Leg kick for Font. Figueiredo with one of his own. Now a straight right from Figueiredo. One-two for FOnt and more punches behind it.
Very nicely timed single-leg from Figueiredo and is now in half-guard. Front does well to scramble back to his feet.
Body punch from Figueiredo. leg kick for Font. Figueiredo tries to clinch up, but unable to this time. Font trying to land punches but Figueiredo presenting an elusive target. Now a solid one-two land for Figueiredo. Final few seconds and he sticks a nice punch and then another for good measure.
Round Three:
Body kick attempt from Figueiredo. They clinch up and Figueiredo works for the takedown, but Font somehow keeps upright on that one and they go back to striking range.
Grazing straight right from Figueiredo. Another clinch-up with Font working Figueiredo over to the cage this time. Figueiredo breaks free though.
Nice hooks from Font. Thumping left hook from Figueiredo and Font is wobbled and back-peddling. Figueiredo with a knee and an elbow. Now a powerful left, but Font is still upright and Figueiredo doesn’t go all out for the finish.
Now it’s Font who tries to get some payback as he unleashes a flurry of punches, but without the same kind of impact.
Figueiredo stays patient and then picks his moment to land a nice takedown. Figueiredo able to work his way to full mount now with time to work in the final round.
A couple of hammerfists for Figueiredo. Now an elbow. Font does well to create space and get Figueiredo back to half-guard.
Figueiredo looking to pass again though and is able to slice through to side control. Final 10 seconds and he tries to go knee-on-belly, but Font scrambles to his feet under fire as the round ends.
Decision:
This was a solid start to Figueiredo’s bantamweight run, showing off his well-rounded skills as he landed multiple takedowns while also hurting Font on the feet too, including dropping him with a hook in the final round. In then end he has to settle for a unanimous decision victory through (30-27 x3).
