Introduction
Deiveson Figueiredo is the most powerful flyweight in UFC history and the most decorated Brazilian in modern UFC's 125 lb division. A Soure, Pará-born fighter who grew up in a fishing village near the mouth of the Amazon River, Figueiredo won the UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 250 in June 2020 and built the most consequential divisional rivalry in modern UFC flyweight history — the four-fight series with Brandon Moreno that produced a draw, two Moreno wins, and one Figueiredo win across 2020-2023. His nickname 'Deus da Guerra' (God of War) captures both the aggression and the will to fight that defined his championship years.
This profile covers everything: the Soure, Pará upbringing, the Amazon fishing-village background, the WEC-era signing, the 2020 UFC Flyweight Championship win, the four-fight Moreno rivalry, the January 2023 UFC 283 loss that ended the rivalry, the move to bantamweight, and the continued 2026 active career at 135 lb.
Contents
Quick Stats
Background
Fighting Style
Career Highlights
Notable Rivalries
Championships and Title Reigns
Fun Facts
Legacy and Verdict
Frequently Asked Questions
References
Quick Stats
Full Name: Deiveson Alcantara Figueiredo
Nickname: Deus da Guerra (God of War)
Born: December 18, 1987 (Soure, Pará, Brazil)
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Reach: 66" (168 cm)
Weight Classes: Flyweight (125 lb) and Bantamweight (135 lb)
Stance: Orthodox
Team: Team Poatan / various Brazilian camps
Pro Record: 24-4-1 (10 KO, 10 SUB, 4 DEC)
UFC Career Record: 14-4-1
UFC Debut: November 12, 2016 — UFC Fight Night 99, def. Marco Beltran by sub R2
Belts: Former UFC Flyweight Champion (2020-2021, defended once; regained 2022, lost 2023); two-time UFC Flyweight Champion
Power Distinction: Most powerful puncher by force-measurement in UFC flyweight history; first flyweight ever to produce measurable heavyweight-tier KO impact
Background
Deiveson Alcantara Figueiredo was born on December 18, 1987 in Soure, Pará — a small city of approximately 20,000 on the island of Marajó at the mouth of the Amazon River in northern Brazil. The Marajó Island upbringing — one of the world's largest freshwater-influenced islands, known for its buffalo herds and river-fishing economy — has been the defining biographical feature of Figueiredo's public identity. He started training martial arts as a teenager and moved to São Paulo for more structured MMA training before the UFC opportunity arrived.
The UFC debut came at UFC Fight Night 99 in November 2016 — a second-round submission of Marco Beltran. The first four UFC fights produced a 4-0 record with two Performance of the Night bonuses. The UFC Flyweight Championship chase began in earnest in 2019-2020: wins over Joseph Benavidez (twice — the first fight, where Figueiredo missed weight by 2.5 lbs and thus couldn't win the vacant title, and the second fight at UFC 250 where he won the championship cleanly) produced the title. The June 2020 UFC 250 championship win over Benavidez at 1:46 of the second round — a rear-naked choke after a knockdown — was the moment.
The Moreno rivalry defined the championship years. UFC 256 draw, UFC 263 loss, UFC 270 win, UFC 283 loss — four fights that produced three different outcomes and established the Moreno-Figueiredo series as the most competitive single divisional rivalry in modern UFC flyweight history. After the January 2023 UFC 283 TKO loss to Moreno, Figueiredo moved to bantamweight for a new chapter at 135 lb.
Fighting Style
Figueiredo's style is the most physically anomalous approach in modern UFC flyweight history. The 'God of War' nickname is a direct reference to the power output that seems physiologically impossible at 125 lb. His right hand has produced measurable knockout-force readings equivalent to heavier-class fighters; the seven career KO wins at flyweight include multiple first-round knockdowns of opponents who had never been stopped before. The combination of elite-level power, 10 career submission wins (matching the KO total exactly), and aggressive forward-pressure creates the most genuinely two-way finishing threat in UFC flyweight history.
The technical signature is the early-aggression overhand right. Figueiredo opens fights with immediate high-pressure combinations, leading with the right hand and following with the clinch-and-knee sequence. The early-round KO/hurt ratio is the highest of any UFC flyweight champion in history. The Benavidez UFC 250 finish (knockdown at 1:16 of R2, RNC finish at 1:46) was the canonical example — Figueiredo's opening right hand produced a knockdown that Benavidez, one of the most durable flyweights in division history, could not recover from.
The vulnerability is the championship-distance gas tank against high-volume grapplers. Brandon Moreno at UFC 263 and UFC 283 both exploited the third-round-and-beyond fatigue that accumulates when Figueiredo's opening aggression doesn't produce a finish. The Moreno submission at UFC 263 came in round three — after Figueiredo's explosive opening two rounds had produced significant damage but no finish. The UFC 283 TKO loss came in round four, following the same pattern.
Career Highlights
UFC 250 — Figueiredo def. Joseph Benavidez, Sub R2 (June 6, 2020)
The UFC Flyweight Championship-winning fight. Joseph Benavidez — the two-time UFC flyweight title challenger — was knocked down and submitted by rear-naked choke at 1:46 of the second round. Performance of the Night and the moment Figueiredo became the most powerful flyweight champion in UFC history.
UFC 256 — Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno, Draw (December 12, 2020)
The first Moreno fight — a majority draw (47-47, 47-47, 47-47). The closest title fight in UFC flyweight history. Figueiredo retained the title by default under the draw rules.
UFC 270 — Figueiredo def. Brandon Moreno, UD (January 22, 2022)
The title-recapture fight. Figueiredo used early-round power and sustained aggression to win by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) over five rounds. The Figueiredo win in the trilogy produced the third fight of the four-fight series.
UFC 263 — Moreno def. Figueiredo, Sub R3 (June 12, 2021)
The title-losing fight to Brandon Moreno. Moreno's rear-naked choke at 3:32 of the third round ended Figueiredo's first reign. The fight also made Moreno the first Mexican-born UFC champion in history.
UFC 283 — Moreno def. Figueiredo, TKO R4 (January 21, 2023)
The fourth and final Moreno fight, in Rio de Janeiro. Moreno won by TKO at 3:17 of the fourth round, completing a 2-1-1 head-to-head series win over Figueiredo. The loss ended Figueiredo's second reign and the four-fight series.
Notable Rivalries
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno
Four fights: draw (UFC 256), Moreno win (UFC 263), Figueiredo win (UFC 270), Moreno win (UFC 283). Final: 1-2-1 for Figueiredo. The most consequential divisional rivalry in modern UFC flyweight history.
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez
Two fights: Figueiredo won both. UFC Fight Night 169 (February 2020) — Figueiredo won but missed weight so could not claim the title. UFC 250 (June 2020) — Figueiredo won the vacant title by second-round submission.
Championships and Title Reigns
UFC Flyweight Champion (First Reign): June 6, 2020 — June 12, 2021 (one successful defence vs Moreno draw at UFC 256; lost to Moreno at UFC 263)
UFC Flyweight Champion (Second Reign): January 22, 2022 — January 21, 2023 (regained at UFC 270; lost to Moreno at UFC 283)
Performance Bonuses: Multiple — Performance of the Night (Benavidez, Formiga, Moras)
Notable Wins: Joseph Benavidez (x2), Brandon Moreno, Jussier Formiga, Alexandre Pantoja (pre-Pantoja title era)
Power Distinction: Most powerful puncher by force-measurement in UFC flyweight history
Fun Facts
• Born in Soure, Pará — a small city on Marajó Island at the mouth of the Amazon River, one of the most remote birthplaces of any UFC champion.
• The 'Deus da Guerra' (God of War) nickname captures his aggressive, power-forward style.
• Has the most measured punch-power per kilogram of bodyweight in UFC flyweight history.
• Two-time UFC Flyweight Champion — won the title at UFC 250 (2020) and reclaimed it at UFC 270 (2022).
• The four-fight Moreno rivalry produced three different outcomes: one draw, two Moreno wins, one Figueiredo win.
• His 10 career KO wins and 10 career submission wins produce the most perfectly balanced dual-threat finishing record of any UFC flyweight champion.
• Moved to bantamweight (135 lb) after the January 2023 loss to Moreno to continue his UFC career at a heavier weight class.
• His first fight with Benavidez at UFC Fight Night 169 (February 2020) was won by Figueiredo but the title could not change hands because Figueiredo missed weight by 2.5 lbs.
Legacy and Verdict
Deiveson Figueiredo's UFC legacy is the most physically anomalous championship career in modern UFC flyweight history. The Amazon River-island background, the power-punching statistics at 125 lb, and the four-fight Moreno rivalry that consumed three years of flyweight division history form a career narrative that is unique in the division. The two title reigns, the Benavidez domination, the record-setting power measurements, and the cultural significance of a champion from Marajó Island place Figueiredo among the ten most consequential UFC flyweights of all time.
The Moreno rivalry — while producing a net losing record in head-to-head (1-2-1) — is the single most consequential bilateral divisional rivalry in modern UFC flyweight history and confirmed Figueiredo as one of the two defining champions of the 2020-2023 flyweight era. He retires (eventually) as the most powerful fighter in UFC flyweight history and the man whose rivalry with Moreno produced the first Mexican UFC championship.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Deiveson Figueiredo win the UFC Flyweight Championship?
Figueiredo won the vacant UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 250 on June 6, 2020, submitting Joseph Benavidez by rear-naked choke at 1:46 of the second round.
How many times did Figueiredo and Moreno fight?
Four times: a draw at UFC 256 (December 2020), Moreno win at UFC 263 (June 2021), Figueiredo win at UFC 270 (January 2022), and Moreno win at UFC 283 (January 2023). Final: Figueiredo 1-2-1.
What is Deiveson Figueiredo's professional MMA record?
Figueiredo's career record is 24-4-1 (10 KO, 10 SUB, 4 DEC). UFC record 14-4-1.
Where is Deiveson Figueiredo from?
Figueiredo was born on December 18, 1987 in Soure, Pará, Brazil — a small city on Marajó Island at the mouth of the Amazon River in northern Brazil.
What does 'Deus da Guerra' mean?
It translates from Portuguese as 'God of War' — capturing Figueiredo's aggressive, forward-pressure fighting style and exceptional power at 125 lb.
Is Figueiredo still active?
Yes — Figueiredo moved to bantamweight (135 lb) after the January 2023 UFC 283 loss and remains an active UFC fighter as of mid-2026.
References
UFC.com — Deiveson Figueiredo Athlete Profile