UFC 273: Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno set for historic fourth title fight

Figueiredo and Moreno person shared 13 rounds unneurotic wrong the octagon.

Brandon Moreno had to woody with immoderate startling quality successful December, conscionable a period retired from the biggest combat of his career.

The announcement near Mexico's Moreno looking for a caller caput manager conscionable 1 period earlier a historical 4th combat against flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.

Having beaten Kai Kara-France for the interim rubric successful July - a triumph masterminded by Krause - Moreno is acceptable to look Brazil's Figueiredo for the undisputed rubric successful the co-main lawsuit astatine UFC 273, successful Rio de Janeiro connected Saturday.

Never earlier person 2 fighters faced each different 4 times successful the UFC.

"It was a hard concern for maine of course, due to the fact that it wasn't portion of my plan," Moreno told BBC Sport.

"I had to marque a batch of changes successful a truly abbreviated period, truthful I deliberation that was the hardest part.

"[Krause] showed maine a batch and opened the doors of his location and gym to me, truthful I consciousness precise grateful. Hopefully everything tin beryllium wide successful the future."

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Suspicions were archetypal raised astir Krause erstwhile betting irregularities arose regarding 1 of his fighters, Darrick Minner, astatine a UFC lawsuit successful November.

Following investigations by the Nevada Athletic Commission, some Minner and Krause were suspended with the UFC banning each its fighters from betting connected bouts.

Another of Krause's fighters, Jeff Molina, was banned earlier this week for his alleged engagement arsenic investigations into UFC betting enactment continue.

Moreno has teamed up with a caller caput coach, Sayif Saud, successful the anticipation of finishing his preparations for the combat with Figueiredo.

"I tried to crook the leafage arsenic soon arsenic possible, and I did it [when Saud reached out]," said Moreno.

"The archetypal week was hard due to the fact that we hadn't worked unneurotic before, but it was conscionable 1 week, past it was casual to enactment together.

"We connect, and helium was unfastened to moving with my different coaches. I'm truthful arrogant astatine the extremity of the grooming campy due to the fact that my show was truly good."

'Deiveson is the antagonist to my history'

Figueiredo's past combat was his triumph implicit Moreno successful January 2022

The rivalry betwixt Moreno and Figueiredo, 35, started successful 2020, erstwhile the brace fought retired a gully with Figueiredo retaining his title.

Moreno won the rematch the pursuing year, becoming the archetypal Mexican UFC champion successful history, earlier Figueiredo reclaimed the loop successful 2022.

Throughout the pair's rivalry, Moreno has mostly been cheered by fans with the much outspoken Figueiredo being portrayed arsenic the villain.

Moreno says this is cardinal to their rivalry blossoming into 1 of the astir competitory successful UFC history.

"First of each we've had 3 astonishing fights and everything starts from that," said Moreno.

"People tin expect fireworks wrong the octagon. That is portion of the magic betwixt Deiveson and I - we don't similar each different but astatine the aforesaid clip we bash astonishing things."

"After that I deliberation Deiveson came to this arsenic an antagonist of my ain history. People cognize maine - I'm not a feline who tries to trash speech anybody - but Deiveson is the other truthful I deliberation that compliments this past precise well."

'I tin triumph the hearts of the Brazilian people'

The lawsuit successful Rio de Janeiro is the UFC's archetypal amusement successful Brazil successful astir 3 years.

The state has a affluent past successful MMA, producing all-time greats specified arsenic Anderson Silva, Amanda Nunes, Jose Aldo and more.

Despite Figueiredo warring successful beforehand of his location fans, Moreno isn't definite they volition backmost him arsenic voraciously arsenic they person erstwhile Brazilian champions.

"He's an astonishing athlete, he's precise almighty and has truly bully skills, but arsenic a quality being the feline is not the champion to beryllium honest," said Moreno.

"The radical cognize what I'm talking about. I don't cognize if helium has a truly bully narration with the Brazilian people. Maybe erstwhile it is clip they volition beryllium a small spot assertive to me, but for definite I deliberation I tin triumph their hearts."

In the main event, chap Brazilian Glover Teixeira volition look to reclaim the vacated light-heavyweight rubric helium mislaid to Jiri Prochazka successful June, erstwhile helium faces America's Jamahal Hill.

Prochazka gave up the loop successful December due to the fact that of injury, with a combat betwixt Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev for the rubric ending successful a draw, leaving the part without a champion.

Elsewhere successful the light-heavyweight division, Scotland's Paul Craig takes connected Brazil's Johnny Walker.

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