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What’s Next For Deiveson Figueiredo?

Deiveson Figueiredo suffered another setback at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City, falling to Payton Talbott in a brutal first-round stoppage. The 38-year-old veteran, already on a three-fight losing streak, was overwhelmed by Talbott’s size and reach advantage, ending his hopes for a quick turnaround after back-to-back losses to Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong.

With his career winding down and a younger generation rising, Figueiredo faces an uncertain future, though he has not ruled out another attempt at the flyweight division to chase a title shot against Joshua Van—though such a path remains unlikely given his recent struggles. At 135 pounds, a potential matchup with Aiemann Zahabi could offer a more immediate opportunity, as both fighters desperately need a win to climb out of their current slumps.

Zahabi, ranked No. 13, was recently knocked out by Sean O’Malley, ending his own seven-fight winning streak, and now finds himself in a similar predicament as Figueiredo, seeking a rebound against lower-ranked competition.

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