It appears Deiveson Figueiredo wants to forego a fourth fight with Brandon Moreno in favor of a title bout with Kai Kara-France next.
Kara-France (24-9 MMA, 7-2 UFC) earned a split decision upset of Askar Askarov’s (13-1-1 MMA, 3-1-1 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 33 clash at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. He’s now on a three-fight winning streak and said afterward that he thinks he deserves the next championship fight in the flyweight division.
“This is the situation I wanted to be in coming off a three-fight win streak, two finishes in the first round and now beating the No. 2 guy in the world,” Kara-France told MMA Junkie at the UFC on ESPN 33 post-fight news conference. “It’s a conversation me, Mick (Maynard) and Dana (White) have to have.”
The UFC is rumored to be targeting a fourth consecutive championship bout between Figueiredo (21-2-1 MMA, 10-2-1 UFC) and Moreno (19-5-2 MMA, 7-2-2 UFC), but after Kara-France’s win, it appears the current titleholder wants something else. Figueiredo took to social media and made it clear he wants Kara-France next (via Twitter):
Congratulations you dirty kiwi @kaikarafrance you just punched your ticket with the God of War. @theassassinbaby you just took the back seat. You are 0- 2 against @Pantojamma if you could beat him I’ll give you the next title shot. 🇧🇷 Vs🇦🇺 let’s make it happen @danawhite pic.twitter.com/mysuGl9Wsa
— Deiveson (@Daico_Deiveson) March 27, 2022
Congratulations you dirty kiwi @kaikarafrance you just punched your ticket with the God of War. @theassassinbaby you just took the back seat. You are 0- 2 against @Pantojamma if you could beat him I’ll give you the next title shot. 🇧🇷 Vs🇦🇺 let’s make it happen @danawhite
It remains to be seen if the champion’s request alters the UFC’s plans. For now, though, Kara-France will revel in the glory of ending Askarov’s winning streak in a fight very few were picking him to win.
“Everyone was counting me out and calling me the underdog,” Kara-France said. “I’ve had a lot of years in this sport and now you’re starting to see that confidence, and now it’s my time.”
