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. Deiveson
Figueiredo will have to look elsewhere to get the high-level
training partners he desires. Right after losing the flyweight belt to Brandon
Moreno at
UFC 263, Brazil’s Figueiredo declared that one of the reasons
for his bad performance was the fact of having the same routine of
sparring.
“It’s important to be challenged every day,” he said. “I’ve already
talked to Fabio Prado.
My next camp will be done in Team Alpha Male, where I’ll have the
best level of sparring in the world for my division.”
From an interview with Sherdog on Tuesday, however, those plans
have changed. Fabio Prado,
the grappling coach of Team Alpha Male, revealed that Cody
Garbrandt’s decision to move down to flyweight has halted that
camp switch. Per Prado, the team has rescinded its invitation to
the former flyweight king.
“Few years ago, Deiveson spent a long time here training with us
[at Team Alpha Male],” Prado said. “[Urijah] Faber and most people
here liked [Figueiredo] very much, but after Garbrandt decided to
go down to flyweight, we [held] a meeting where it was decided that
[it] wouldn’t make any sense to have a possible future opponent
training here…besides Deiveson at 125 pounds, his brother [Francisco
Figueiredo] is also at 135 pounds, where we have Raulian
[Paiva].”
And concerning former partners who turned out to be opponents,
Prado revealed a great friendship with T.J.
Dillashaw. The trainer even noted that Dillashaw will be the
next UFC Bantamweight champion.
“We lived together in the same apartment,” the Carlson Gracie black
belt explained. “Even with all [this] bad blood with former Alpha
Male mates, I kept having a great relationship with T.J. I know how
hard this kid trains and how focused he is, I truly believe he will
beat Petr
Yan and get the belt back.”
