Deiveson Figueiredo Bio
Deiveson Alcântara Figueiredo, widely known by his ring name “Deus Da Guerra” (God of War), is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Born on December 18, 1987, in the small city of Soure on Marajó Island in Pará, Brazil, Figueiredo has built a reputation as one of the most dangerous finishers in the sport. He is a former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion and is widely regarded as one of the greatest flyweights in MMA history, with a Flyweight record of 21 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. As of mid-2025, he is ranked among the top contenders in the UFC Bantamweight division.
Early Life and Background
Figueiredo was born and raised in Soure, Pará, a small city located on Marajó Island in northern Brazil. His father worked as a buffalo herder and practiced luta marajoara, a traditional local folk wrestling style that emphasizes leverage and control. Growing up in this rural environment, Figueiredo worked alongside his father on the family animal farm as a cowboy until he was thirteen years old, learning discipline and toughness from an early age. He has a younger sister and a brother, Francisco, who is also a professional mixed martial artist and was signed with the UFC.
Around the age of nine, Figueiredo began wrestling, following in the footsteps of his father. When he reached his teenage years, he moved to the larger city of Belém to attend high school, where he also began training in capoeira. At sixteen, he took a decisive step toward combat sports by starting mixed martial arts training under the tutelage of Iuri “Marajó” Alcântara, a UFC Bantamweight fighter from the same Marajó region. This mentorship gave him a strong technical foundation and helped shape his path to a professional fighting career.
Path to MMA
Figueiredo’s road to professional MMA was paved with odd jobs and persistent effort. Before focusing full-time on fighting, he worked as a farmer, bricklayer, hairdresser, taxi driver, and sushi chef, using each role to support himself while sharpening his martial arts skills. These varied experiences gave him a grounded, resilient mindset that would later serve him well inside the cage. His amateur training, combined with the wrestling and capoeira he had practiced since childhood, allowed him to develop a versatile and aggressive style.
He made his professional MMA debut in February 2012 against fellow newcomer Aluisio Ferreira, winning by first-round submission. Over the next few years, Figueiredo fought across the regional Pará and Maranhão MMA circuits, building an impressive record against largely debuting opponents. In late 2014, he signed with Jungle Fight, a prominent Brazilian promotion, and continued to climb the regional ranks, eventually catching the attention of major international organizations.
Deiveson Figueiredo Career
Early Career (2012-2017)
From 2012 through 2014, Figueiredo built his foundation in regional Brazilian promotions, amassing several first-round finishes and earning a reputation as a dangerous prospect. After signing with Jungle Fight, he secured notable victories over Rayner Silva and Denis Araujo Oliveira, the latter coming by second-round TKO against an undefeated opponent. These performances showcased his blend of power, grappling, and finishing instincts.
Following a seventeen-month break from competition, Figueiredo returned to action and continued to win inside Jungle Fight, which ultimately set the stage for his entry into the UFC. His regional success, combined with a perfect finishing rate, made him an attractive signing for the world’s top MMA organization.
UFC Breakthrough (2017-2019)
Figueiredo made his UFC debut on June 3, 2017, at UFC 212, where he defeated Marco Beltran via technical knockout following a corner stoppage after round two. He quickly established himself in the Flyweight division, picking up additional wins over Jarred Brooks, Joseph Morales, and John Moraga, all by stoppage. His aggressive style and finishing ability earned him a reputation as a rising contender in one of the UFC’s most talent-rich weight classes.
His first setback came in March 2019, when he lost a unanimous decision to Jussier Formiga. However, he bounced back quickly with a Fight of the Night-winning unanimous decision victory over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 240, followed by a first-round submission win over Tim Elliott. By the end of 2019, Figueiredo was widely viewed as the top contender for the UFC Flyweight Championship.
UFC Flyweight Championship Era (2020-2023)
Figueiredo’s first opportunity at UFC gold came on February 29, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 169, where he faced Joseph Benavidez for the vacant Flyweight title. Although he missed weight and was ineligible to win the belt, he delivered a powerful second-round TKO victory. The two met again on July 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 172, and this time Figueiredo captured the championship with a first-round technical submission, earning a Performance of the Night bonus in the process.
He made his first official title defense against Alex Perez at UFC 255 in November 2020, finishing the fight with a guillotine choke in round one. Just twenty-one days later, Figueiredo faced Brandon Moreno at UFC 256 in the fastest championship turnaround in UFC history, and the bout ended in a majority draw. After losing the title to Moreno via rear-naked choke at UFC 263 in June 2021, Figueiredo regained the championship with a unanimous decision victory in their trilogy bout at UFC 270 in January 2022, becoming a two-time Flyweight Champion. Their historic four-battle series concluded at UFC 283 in January 2023, where Figueiredo lost the title by technical knockout after the ringside doctor stopped the contest due to severe eye swelling.
Bantamweight Move and Fight Ready Era (2023-Present)
Following his loss at UFC 283, Figueiredo made the decision to move up to the Bantamweight division, a new challenge that required adjustments in training and diet. He made his Bantamweight debut on December 2, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 52, defeating Rob Font by unanimous decision. This was followed by a second-round rear-naked choke submission of former champion Cody Garbrandt at UFC 300 in April 2024, a high-profile victory that announced his arrival in the new weight class.
Continuing his strong run, Figueiredo defeated Marlon Vera by unanimous decision at UFC on ABC 7 in August 2024, becoming the first fighter to record a knockdown of Vera in the UFC. He then faced former champion Petr Yan in November 2024 at UFC Fight Night 248, losing by unanimous decision in a competitive main event bout. In May 2025, he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ESPN 67 after a knee injury forced the stoppage. Figueiredo returned to the win column on October 11, 2025, defeating Montel Jackson by split decision at UFC Fight Night 261. Throughout this period, he has trained out of Fight Ready, where he has worked with elite coaches and training partners to refine his bantamweight game. He is currently scheduled to face Umar Nurmagomedov on January 24, 2026, at UFC 324.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although he is a mixed martial artist rather than a race car driver, Figueiredo’s “fighting style” is best described as aggressive and finishing-oriented. He combines sharp boxing with powerful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where he holds a black belt, allowing him to threaten opponents both on the feet and on the ground. His conditioning, mental toughness, and finishing instincts have made him especially dangerous in championship rounds.
Notable Events and Milestones
Figueiredo’s four-fight series with Brandon Moreno stands as one of the greatest rivalries in UFC Flyweight history, producing two championship fights, a draw, and a record-setting twenty-one-day title turnaround. His championship victories over Joseph Benavidez and Alex Perez, along with his Performance of the Night and multiple Fight of the Night awards, have cemented his status as a fan favorite. He also made history by becoming the first fighter to ever knock down Marlon Vera inside the UFC.
Deiveson Figueiredo Career Wins
Across all professional mixed martial arts competition, Deiveson Figueiredo has compiled twenty-five wins against five losses in thirty-one total bouts. His victories have been distributed across regional Brazilian promotions, Jungle Fight, and the UFC, with finishes coming by knockout, submission, and decision. He has earned multiple post-fight bonuses throughout his UFC tenure, including Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night honors.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Figueiredo has secured notable wins over Joseph Benavidez, Alex Perez, Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera. His first UFC win came by TKO over Marco Beltran in 2017, and his most recent UFC victory came by split decision over Montel Jackson on October 11, 2025. Several of his UFC bouts have earned Fight of the Night recognition, highlighting his consistently entertaining style.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Figueiredo built his resume in Brazilian regional circuits and Jungle Fight, where he defeated opponents including Rayner Silva and Denis Araujo Oliveira. These early regional and Jungle Fight wins laid the foundation for his eventual UFC contract and championship success.
Deiveson Figueiredo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Figueiredo comes from a close-knit family rooted in the rural Marajó region of northern Brazil. His father was a buffalo herder and practitioner of luta marajoara, a folk wrestling style, who introduced his son to the world of combat sports at a young age. His brother, Francisco Figueiredo, is also a professional mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC, continuing the family’s fighting tradition.
Personal Life
Figueiredo has spoken openly about the many jobs he held before making MMA his career, including working as a farmer, bricklayer, hairdresser, taxi driver, and sushi chef. He is a devoted fan of the Brazilian football clubs Botafogo and Paysandu. After a stint training at Team Alpha Male in the United States between 2018 and 2019, he returned to Brazil and founded Team Figueiredo in Belém, his own gym, before later moving to Fight Ready in 2021. He currently resides in Soure, Pará, Brazil.
2025 Season Performance
Figueiredo’s 2025 campaign in the UFC Bantamweight division has been a mixed but competitive chapter. He opened the year with a setback, suffering a second-round TKO loss to Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ESPN 67 in May after a knee injury forced the stoppage. The loss was a difficult one, but Figueiredo responded with a determined split-decision victory over Montel Jackson at UFC Fight Night 261 in October, demonstrating his resilience and ability to bounce back.
His 2025 performances have kept him within striking distance of the division’s top contenders, and his placement among the UFC Bantamweight rankings reflects his continued relevance. With a scheduled bout against Umar Nurmagomedov in January 2026, Figueiredo is positioned to make another run toward title contention in the new year.