Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Newly minted Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight champ
Deiveson
Figueiredo has experienced a litany of attacks from fans on the
internet since beating Brandon
Moreno. Following his fiery interview on the MMA Hour, where Figueiredo
asked for one million dollars to make a fourth fight with Brandon
Moreno, the champ discarded the possibility for revenge in
Mexico. At the end of UFC 270, “Daico” claimed he would be willing
to face Moreno in his home country of Mexico, but he has since
changed his mind. On Thursday, the flyweight champion held a press
conference at his Team Figueiredo gym in Belem, Brazil, where he
spoke of racist attacks he has suffered from fans online.
“Since Moreno said I was a great fighter but a terrible human
being, I’ve been suffering attacks from Mexicans who are being
racist with me, calling me a ‘monkey,’” Figueiredo said.
Following the press conference, Figueiredo spoke to Sherdog,
explaining that everything seemed to start building before the
second fight, when one of Moreno’s coaches attacked him.
“Everything started right there, but when Brandon
Moreno made a comment, in which he talks as a human being I’m
no good and as an athlete I’m great, racist Mexicans restarted to
attack me again,” Figueiredo stated. “That crazy thing is that we
are all Latins who suffer the same kind of prejudice; we should be
fighting against it, not encouraging them. I truly hope the UFC
takes the necessary steps against those absurd [fans].”
The comments began to flood in after Figueiredo emerged victorious
at UFC 270, and in the Brazilian’s opinion, the fight in Mexico is
off the table.
“Mexicans want Henry
Cejudo’s head,” the champ noted. “They would kill us if we
agreed to make that fight in there. Now I’m the champion, if UFC
wants that fight, Moreno should go to Brazil to face me.”
If the fourth Moreno match is ultimately not his next opponent, he
would be more than willing to negotiate with his promotion to get a
fight set.
“I’m asking for one million dollars to do the fourth [Moreno]
fight, which is something that’s getting boring,” Figueiredo
admitted. “But of course we can fight Kai Kara
France, [Askar]
Askarov, [Alexandre]
Pantoja or whoever UFC wants me [to fight]. It’s just a matter
of conversation, and we will come to a good agreement for all
sides.”
Figueiredo finished his interview by making sure that his complaint
is not addressed to all Mexicans.
“I love Mexico,” the Brazilian champ concluded. “I have a lot of
Mexican friends in [the] USA. My wrestling coach is Mexican, but
this minority [that attacks me], I don’t even consider
Mexicans.”
