UFC Fight Night 172: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- May 21
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 172: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 took place on July 18-19, 2020 at the Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE — the third of four Fight Island events staged by the UFC in July 2020 as the promotion continued operating in a closed bubble amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The event crowned a new flyweight champion in emphatic fashion: Deiveson Figueiredo submitted Joseph Benavidez in the first round with a rear-naked choke after three knockdowns, ending one of the most painful title-chase narratives in flyweight history.
The card was rich with talent from across the globe — many fighters present because of US travel restrictions that made Fight Island the only viable venue. Jack Hermansson produced a stunning heel hook of Kelvin Gastelum, Rafael Fiziev announced his arrival, Ariane Lipski hit a kneebar for the ages, and Roman Dolidze and Amir Albazi both debuted. It was one of the best Fight Island cards and one of the most significant events of the pandemic era.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, July 18, 2020 (July 19 local time in Abu Dhabi)
📍 Venue: Flash Forum (du Forum), Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
👥 Attendance: 0 (behind closed doors — UFC Fight Island 2)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 30 / UFC Fight Island 2)
🏆 Main Event: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez — Vacant UFC Flyweight Championship
✅ Result: Deiveson Figueiredo def. Joseph Benavidez via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 1, 4:48)
🥇 Champion: Deiveson Figueiredo won the vacant UFC Flyweight Championship — third champion in division history
The Build-Up
The flyweight title had been vacant since Henry Cejudo relinquished it in December 2019. The first attempt to crown a new champion came at UFC Fight Night 169 in February 2020, where Figueiredo TKO'd Benavidez in round two — but missed weight and was ineligible to win the belt. Controversy swirled around the finish, which came seconds after a clash of heads. The rematch was a natural. This time, both men would be on the scale and both would be eligible.
For Benavidez, the stakes were enormous. He had challenged for the flyweight title at WEC and UFC five times before without success — losing twice to Demetrious Johnson, twice in title shots blocked by other circumstances, and once to Figueiredo. At 32, this was a genuine last shot at a world championship. The event was staged at the Flash Forum on Yas Island as part of the UFC's extraordinary Fight Island bubble in Abu Dhabi, catering to international fighters blocked from entering the US by COVID-19 travel restrictions.
A title fight between flyweight champion candidate Figueiredo had faced a last-minute scare: on July 11, he tested positive for COVID-19. A second test cleared him. He passed further tests on arrival in Abu Dhabi and was confirmed for the fight. The drama only added to the anticipation.
Main Event: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2
Deiveson Figueiredo claimed the UFC flyweight title with a commanding, explosive first-round performance. The finish was a rear-naked choke at 4:48, but the submission was the final act of a round that featured three knockdowns and a relentless display of power from the Brazilian. Every clean punch Figueiredo landed dropped Benavidez. The challenger showed enormous heart — surviving the first knockdown and escaping rear-naked choke attempts multiple times — but there was no escaping Figueiredo's finishing instinct.
After the third knockdown, Figueiredo took mount and rained punches and elbows. Benavidez made a final adjustment to avoid the ground-and-pound, but Figueiredo transitioned to the back and secured the rear-naked choke. Referee Marc Goddard waved it off with Benavidez unconscious. Figueiredo screamed in celebration in the empty arena, becoming only the third UFC flyweight champion after Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo.
For Benavidez, the loss was the final chapter of one of the most heartbreaking title-chase stories in combat sports. He had fought for the championship at WEC and UFC across six attempts spanning over a decade, and never held the belt. He would fight three more times before retiring in 2022.
Co-Main Event: Hermansson vs. Gastelum
Jack Hermansson delivered one of the most stunning submission finishes of the year, submitting Kelvin Gastelum with a heel hook at 1:18 of round one. Gastelum, a former interim title challenger with elite striking, was dismantled before he could establish his game plan. Hermansson shot for a takedown early, and when the scramble opened the leg, he locked the heel hook in a flash. The finish established Hermansson as a legitimate top-five middleweight.
Full Results
Main Card
Deiveson Figueiredo def. Joseph Benavidez — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 1, 4:48) | WON Vacant UFC Flyweight Championship
Jack Hermansson def. Kelvin Gastelum — Submission (Heel Hook) (Round 1, 1:18)
Rafael Fiziev def. Marc Diakiese — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00) — Fight of the Night | UFC debut
Ariane Lipski def. Luana Carolina — Submission (Kneebar) (Round 1, 1:28)
Askar Askarov def. Alexandre Pantoja — Decision (Round 3, 5:00)
Roman Dolidze def. Khadis Ibragimov — TKO (Knee and Punches) (Round 1, 4:15) | UFC debut
Preliminary Card
Arman Tsarukyan def. Davi Ramos — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Joel Alvarez def. Joe Duffy — Submission (Round 1)
Grant Dawson def. Nad Narimani — Decision (Round 3, 5:00)
Amir Albazi def. Sherri Gordon — Submission (Triangle Choke) (Round 1, 4:42) | UFC debut
Bonuses & Awards
🏆 Performance of the Night: Deiveson Figueiredo ($50,000) — RNC of Benavidez, Round 1, 4:48
🏆 Performance of the Night: Ariane Lipski ($50,000) — Kneebar of Luana Carolina, Round 1, 1:28
🥊 Fight of the Night: Rafael Fiziev vs. Marc Diakiese ($50,000 each)
Records & Milestones
🥊 Deiveson Figueiredo became only the third UFC flyweight champion in history, joining Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo.
🥊 Joseph Benavidez's loss was his sixth flyweight title challenge without success — including WEC and UFC. He retired in 2022 having never held a world championship.
🥊 Rafael Fiziev made his UFC debut and won Fight of the Night — beginning one of the most electrifying careers in the lightweight division.
🥊 Roman Dolidze made his UFC debut with a TKO win, beginning a run toward the top of the light heavyweight division.
🥊 Amir Albazi won his UFC debut with a triangle choke — a first for the UFC in 2020 — beginning a rise that would see him challenge for the flyweight title in 2023.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 172 was one of the best cards of the Fight Island era and one of the most significant events of 2020. It crowned a flyweight champion in the most emphatic fashion — no controversy, no missed weight, no close decision. Figueiredo was simply the better fighter by a wide margin. His reign would go on to produce some of the most spectacular flyweight title fights of the decade, including epic battles with Brandon Moreno.
The card also served as a launchpad for multiple fighters who would become significant UFC names. Fiziev's Fight Night debut, Dolidze's TKO debut, and Albazi's triangle debut were all opening acts for careers that would develop into major storylines in the years ahead. Fight Island, for all its strangeness, delivered consistently high-quality events — and FN 172 was among the very best of them.
FAQ
Why did Figueiredo vs. Benavidez happen twice?
In their first fight at FN 169 in February 2020, Figueiredo TKO'd Benavidez but was ineligible to win the title because he had missed weight. The finish was also controversial due to an earlier clash of heads. A rematch was the only logical solution to determine the division's first champion since Henry Cejudo vacated.
Was Figueiredo's COVID test a concern before UFC Fight Night 172?
Yes. On July 11, Figueiredo tested positive for COVID-19, putting the title fight in serious jeopardy. A second test came back negative. He passed further tests upon arriving in Abu Dhabi and was cleared to compete. His manager noted he had previously had COVID-19 and believed the initial test was a false positive.
Who was the third UFC flyweight champion?
Deiveson Figueiredo became the third UFC flyweight champion at FN 172, following Demetrious Johnson (first champion, held the title from 2012 to 2018) and Henry Cejudo (champion from 2018 to 2019, when he vacated to focus on bantamweight).
What is UFC Fight Island and why was FN 172 held there?
Fight Island was a closed-bubble venue the UFC established on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to host international fighters who could not enter the United States due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The Flash Forum hosted four events in July 2020. FN 172 was the third, following UFC 251 and UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige.
Did Joseph Benavidez ever win a world championship?
No. Benavidez challenged for flyweight titles at WEC and UFC multiple times across his career and never won a championship belt. He retired in 2022. His legacy rests on his longevity, consistency, and the quality of his performances against elite competition, rather than a title reign.
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