DALLAS – Deiveson Figueiredo entered the cage to confront his likely next foe, Brandon Moreno, at UFC 277, and according to promotion president Dana White, it wasn’t part of the original plan.
As the conversation progressed toward him during Moreno’s post-fight interview with Joe Rogan in the cage, broadcast cameras panned to Figueiredo, who promptly made his way down the aisle toward the gap in the safety barriers.
While UFC security staff initially intervened, an impromptu green light was given to let Figueiredo into the cage. Initially, the faceoff had a taste of vitriol and intensity. Security, commission officials and fighter operations workers populated the cage in case things got out of hand, but there was no need. Moreno elected to instantly squash the beef and the two shook hands.
At the UFC 277 post-fight news conference, White admitted he second-guessed the decision to allow the confrontation. Even though things didn’t play out horribly, he still didn’t feel great about the situation.
“It was kind of an in-the-moment thing,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “Then, when he got up there, I was like, ‘Well, that was f*cking rude.’ This kid was having his moment and you’ve got Figueiredo standing in his face. It happened. It wasn’t horrible. We meant no disrespect to Moreno, but it came off pretty disrespectful.”
A fourth fight between Figueiredo and Moreno seems to be in the cards, despite some rumblings of the former potentially moving to 135 pounds. Figueiredo is the champion and Moreno won the interim title Saturday with a TKO of Kai-Kara France.
“(We could book it) 10 times,” White said. “It’s one of those unique, freaky deals where who doesn’t want to see that fight again? I’m the worst with that sh*t. I hate that stuff. If you’ve got a guy who is up 2-1 or whatever, you don’t ever need to see that fight again – ever. But this is just one of those weird ones where you can.”
The lifetime series between Figueiredo and Moreno is currently even at 1-1-1. The first fight was a draw. Moreno won the second meeting by submission, before Figueiredo won a unanimous decision at UFC 270 in January. There is no current timetable for the tetralogy bout.
