Next weekend sees two former champions meet inside the octagon, in an exciting bantamweight clash that could see the winner fighting for the title in their next bout (given a good performance, of course). Former (two time) flyweight champ, Deiveson Figueiredo, faces former bantamweight champion, and familiar face in the top of the division, Petr Yan. The clash of styles has all the signs of a great fight in the making, so what can we expect to see on Saturday when looking at their previous fights?
Deiveson is currently riding high on a 3-fight winning streak after moving up in weight, and despite his apparent size disadvantage at bantamweight, he has established himself thanks to his punching power and strength translating well to the weight class. He is a highly reactive fighter, who relies on his good head movement to time powerful counters with his hands, and is more than happy to get into firefights in the pocket. To top it off, he also happens to be a high level black belt in Jiu Jitsu, with half his eighteen pro finishes being submissions.
Standing across the cage is Petr Yan, who barring a disappointing last few years (only winning one of his last four fights), is as well rounded as it gets, and still stands as one of the most technically proficient strikers in the division. His boxing heavy style is complimented by his strong kicking game, which he has honed over at Tiger Muay Thai gym – and his quick, tight combinations and well timed takedowns and trips have caused problems for some of the best fighters in the division.
Figueiredo finds himself as the betting underdog coming into this one, and at quick glance, it’s obvious why with Petr’s experience and performances against top ranked opposition at bantamweight. Petr could find success with his long, stance-switching combinations – Figueiredo has a habit of leaning back to evade strikes, but being unable to step back further could result in him being hit, after Petr throws one of his overhands after switching stances. Figueiredo also has been susceptible to low kicks in the past with his wide stance, and this could be exploited by Yan.
Regardless of appearing outgunned, Deiveson is not without routes to victory. His most obvious trump card is his power – in his last appearance he dropped Marlon ‟Chito” Vera for the first time in his career with a right straight, and his left hand is no less devastating. Yan has a tendency of punching himself out of position after stepping through with an overhand punch – Figueiredo is reactive enough to capitalise on this if Yan doesn’t get back into his stance. Petr has also found himself in some uncomfortable positions on the ground against some opponents, which Deiveson could take advantage of with his strong wrestling and grappling prowess (though, this could be nullified by Petr’s scrambling ability).
Whatever the outcome this Saturday, their complimenting styles almost guarantee a good fight; so be sure not to miss it. Bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili will likely be watching be watching this one closely, as he could be facing the winner sometime in the near future.
Subscribe
