Alex Perez seems no challenge to Deiveson Figueiredo after Cody Garbrandt’s withdrawal

Alex Perez seems no challenge to Deiveson Figueiredo after Cody Garbrandt’s withdrawal
Alex Perez and Deiveson Figueiredo

Deiveson Figueiredo, UFC flyweight champion doesn’t seem to think Alex Perez is any challenge to him for UFC 255. Figueiredo won’t underestimate any challenger that steps into the octagon with him.

After Withdrawal of Cody Garbrandt because of injury, Alex Perez agreed to replace injured Cody Garbrandt and face 125-pound titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo at the Las Vegas PPV event on November 21. Figueiredo says he had a “cold and calculating” reaction to the news.

“I don’t get scared by opponents,” Figueiredo said during an interview with MMA Fighting. “With all due respect, Cody Garbrandt would have been a more dangerous fight for me, but I was training to knock him out. Unfortunately he got hurt, and I hope he recovers quickly so we can make this fight happen.”

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Figueiredo thinks Perez is standing between him and Cody Garbrandt

Alex Perez and Deiveson Figueiredo

Figueiredo still wants to fight the former bantamweight champion in 2021 so that he can “rip his head off” and put an end to “No Love’s” flyweight days. He thinks Perez is standing between them.

“They put Alex Perez in, and I don’t see many qualities in him,” Figueiredo said. “I’m training really hard as if I was fighting Garbrandt. You can be sure that I’ll train hard to knock him out. Based on what I’ve seen, Alex Perez’s style favors me. He’s slow, I see no danger in him. That’s why I’m training to knock him out in the first round.”

Since joining the UFC in 2017, Perez won six of seven bouts. Perez capped off by a first-round stoppage over Jussier Formiga, the only man to beat Figueiredo in MMA.

“I see more qualities in Brandon Moreno than in (Perez), but I’m playing by God’s will,” Figueiredo said. “Since they put him in, I’ll train to knock him out. I always train to knock my opponents out.

“There are no easy fights, there’s always danger, but of all the opponents out there, this matchup is the one that favors me the most. He offers less danger than the others. I always follow God’s plans. Since he’s the one coming to fight me, so be it. I’ll give him a warm welcome.”

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