Deiveson Figueiredo Shoves and Fakes Punch at Payton Talbott Ahead of UFC 332
The former flyweight champion got physical with Payton Talbott twice during UFC 332 fight week, shoving him at the press conference and throwing a fake punch at ceremonial weigh-ins.
Deiveson Figueiredo is not treating Saturday's UFC 332 co-main event like a friendly sparring session. The former flyweight champion got physical with Payton Talbott on two separate occasions during fight week, first delivering a shove at the press conference faceoff and then throwing a fake punch during Friday's ceremonial weigh-ins in Salt Lake City.
The weigh-in feint drew a reaction from Talbott and forced UFC staff to step in before things escalated further. It was the second confrontation between the two after Figueiredo pushed Talbott during their initial press conference staredown earlier in the week, per Yahoo Sports.
The bad blood is somewhat surprising. There was no obvious beef heading into fight week, but the 37-year-old Figueiredo appears determined to send a message. He is fighting for relevance at bantamweight after years of dominance at 125 pounds, and a loss to the younger, favored Talbott could effectively close the book on his title ambitions at 135.
Talbott enters as the betting favorite in the five-round co-main event at Delta Center. The rising prospect has spoken about reinventing himself during a frustrating layoff, and a win over a decorated former champion would be the biggest of his career.
The rest of the UFC 332 faceoffs were relatively calm. The main event pairing of Natalia Silva and Wang Cong for the vacant women's flyweight title stayed respectful, while Bobby Green and Esteban Ribovics, Roberto Soldic and Chris Williams, and Benoît Saint Denis and Roman Kopylov all kept things professional.
I love this energy from Figgy. Look, the man is 37, fighting at a new weight class, and staring down a guy the oddsmakers like more. What else is he supposed to do, smile and shake hands? You shove the kid. You throw the fake punch. You let him know this is not going to be easy.
Talbott is talented, no question. But he has been out for a while and his biggest wins are not exactly against Hall of Famers. Figueiredo has five title defenses at flyweight and has been in wars that would break most fighters. If Talbott flinches at a fake punch, what happens when a real one lands?
I am not saying Figgy wins this. Talbott is younger, longer, and the favorite for a reason. But I would not be shocked if the old champion makes this ugly and grinds out a decision. The guys who act up at weigh-ins are either terrified or locked in. Figueiredo looks locked in.
KEEP TALKING FIGHTS.
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