The Ultimate Fighting Championship has had a lot of history go down in the last 30 years and now at UFC 283, it will be a first-time ever when two warriors meet for the fourth time inside the UFC octagon,
Whether you call it a quadrilogy or tetralogy, there has never been a time where two fighters have met four times exclusively under the UFC brand. However, a war built upon four parts tells the story of how two men fought tooth and nail to not just prove why they are the best, but why their division should never meet its end.
‘Deus da Guerra’ is Portuguese for ‘the god who gives war’ or ‘God of War’ in short. Deiveson Figueiredo, the first 2x UFC Flyweight champion lives by that nickname every time he steps foot in the octagon.
Before entering the UFC, Figueiredo won his first 11 fights all in his home country of Brazil. He continued his streak when he won his first three UFC bouts at home prior to his first fight coming to the United States when he knocked out John Moraga in the 2nd round at a UFC Fight Night in Lincoln, Nebraska. About 4,757 miles from home.
At the same time that Figueiredo was making a name for himself in the UFC, Brandon Moreno was in the middle of a two-fight losing streak which resulted in his cut from the UFC in late 2018. This, however, did not stop Moreno from a big turnaround to show the doubters why they counted him out too early.
Upon signing a multi-fight contract with the Legacy Fighting Alliance, Moreno would go on to win his first and only fight in the promotion by defeating Maikel Pérez to become the new LFA Flyweight champion.
Despite having less than 15 flyweight fighters on their roster, the UFC signed Moreno back to the promotion less than 18 months after he was cut to face newcomer Askar Askarov to whom Moreno fought to a draw, his next three consecutive wins would earn him his first of many challenges against a man who many saw as unstoppable.
In the middle of Moreno making his return to the UFC, Figueiredo was going through a tear in the Flyweight division as he defeated Alexandre Pantoja, Tim Elliot and Joseph Benavidez (2x) to become the new Flyweight champion of the UFC.
A successful first title defense for Figueiredo over Alex Perez in his first UFC PPV main event would result in a story that no one expected to last for three years when Figueiredo accepted a short-notice title defense against Moreno at UFC 256 after both men were successful twenty-one days prior at UFC 255.
A short-notice championship bout between Moreno and Figueiredo resulted in a majority draw that turned into the 2020 Fight of the Year from MMA Mania and the World MMA Awards.
Figueiredo was named the Fighter of the Year by MMA Mania, The Athletic, MMA Fighting, Combat Press, Sherdog, The Body Lock MMA and the UFC that same year.
Moreno proved that being cut wouldn’t slow down his aspiration to get to the top of the mountain in the UFC and he showed everyone that six months later when he fought Figueiredo in a rematch for the UFC Flyweight championship and became the first man to finish him in his MMA career to become the first Mexican UFC champion at UFC 263.
This resulted in Moreno being named the Breakthrough Fighter of the Year and the Fighting Spirit of the Year at the World MMA Awards for overcoming being cut, coming back and making history by never backing down to reach the top of the UFC’s mountain.
The next part to this story includes the bounce back and a set back for both men. At UFC 270, almost seven months later it would be the trilogy that the world waited to see what the end result would be. Would it end the story at that moment with Moreno retaining or would Figueiredo reclaim what he had felt was rightfully his? If you chose the latter, you’re definitely right.
Present day and the one-year anniversary coming up for the trilogy between both men, but they are focusing on the same goal they’ve fought for since the first time they fought each other three years ago. To be king of the Flyweight and better than the other at UFC 283 in Brazil.
This will be the first time fighting back home for Figueiredo since 2018, he has never tasted defeat at home and plans to keep it that way no matter whatever it takes for the God of War.
The one and only time Moreno has fought in Brazil, he walked away victorious when he defeated Jussier Formiga, the first man who defeated Figueiredo in the same way, by unanimous decision in 2020.
For Moreno to go back into enemy territory and challenge for the top of the mountain for the third time in his career, he looks to join a list of former UFC champions who silenced the Brazilians in their home.
Stipe Miocic won the UFC Heavyweight Championship from Fabricio Werdum in Brazil at UFC 198.
Ronda Rousey had defeated Bethe Correia at UFC 190 in Brazil to retain the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
Max Holloway had defeated Jose Aldo to become the undisputed UFC Featherweight champion in Brazil at UFC 212.
Moreno looks to become the 4th UFC fighter to walk into enemy territory in Brazil for the UFC championship and walk away with his head and the gold held high above.
Figueiredo looks to become the 4th Brazilian UFC fighter to retain their championship at home.
The first Brazilian was Anderson Silva who defeated Yushin Okami at UFC 134.
The second Brazilian was Jose Aldo who retained three times, he beat Chad Mendes twice at UFC 142 and UFC 179, and Chan Sung Jung at UFC 163.
The third Brazilian was Amanda Nunes who retained the UFC Bantamweight championship at UFC 224 against Raquel Pennington.
All 3 Brazilians retained their championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Figueiredo looks to become the 4th fighter to join the elite list of former and current UFC champions.
The quote “To be the man, you gotta beat the man” was famously said by pro wrestling legend Ric Flair, well in that case both men have proven they could beat one another even on their best night.
The only question left is the one at UFC 283, can Moreno overcome being mentally exhausted to defeat Figueiredo once again or will Figueiredo put an end to the rivalry once and for all?
764 days counting, 109 weeks and 8,335 hours since the first fight, the only thing left to do is wait and see for history to be made in Brazil at UFC 283 for the UFC Flyweight title between Figueiredo and Moreno for a historic 4th time in a row.
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