Deiveson Figueiredo’s next fight will be at 125 pounds.
MMA Fighting confirmed with sources with knowledge of the matchup that the two-time UFC flyweight champion will fight Manel Kape (18-6) at UFC 290, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 8. The bout was first reported by ESPN Deportes.
Figueiredo (21-3-1) is currently No. 3 at flyweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, while Kape sits just outside the top 10 at No. 11.
When Figueiredo steps into the cage to fight Kape, it will be the first time he’s faced an opponent besides Brandon Moreno since November 2020. Figueiredo and Moreno were locked in an epic flyweight championship tetralogy, that saw them locked in a 1-1-1 stalemate before Moreno won the series with a doctor stoppage TKO of Figueiredo this past January at UFC 283.
Kape looks to get back on track for a title shot as he’s been plagued by fight cancellations, with three of his past four bookings falling through. The former RIZIN champion was to fight Alex Perez this past March but saw that matchup disappear on fight day due to medical issues on Perez’s side. He has won three straight fights since an 0-2 start to his UFC career.
Figueiredo vs. Kape joins a UFC 290 card already stacked with star power, with the following matchups also expected to take place at the event (bout order still to be determined):
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez
Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja