Deiveson Figueiredo is set for one of the biggest tests of his bantamweight run this Saturday, as the former flyweight champion takes on #2 ranked contender Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.
“Very happy with the opportunity. To have a card like this, an event like this, a moment like this,” Figuiredo told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator on Wednesday.
“He’s a great fighter, someone that likes to grappler, he wants to take me down. Yeah go right ahead. I come from grappling, but I’m a true striker.”
Figueiredo (25-5-1) said the game plan is to prevent Nurmagomedov from stalling the fight and controlling him on the mat for long stretches. If he can keep the fight moving, Figueiredo believes his experience and power will be the difference.
“When you’re a warrior you have to be ready for every battle that they bring to you. I’ve faced a lot of tough fighters, and a lot of fighters that have the grappling in them. I’ve took on a lot of challenges at flyweight and I owned that division. I got the belt out of it so I was able to dominate there,” he said.
“The plan is basically this. You have a guy like him, you know he wants to take you down, you have to make sure that your takedown defense is on point. You prevent that from happening, and you go from there, and you beat him up. That’s what you do.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Deivevson Figueiredo above. He faces Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324 on Saturday night.
