Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrant, Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jennifer Maia Top UFC 255
The flyweight division will shine on Nov. 21 as Deiveson Figueiredo and Valentina Shevchenko defend their titles against Cody Garbrandt and Jennifer Maia, respectively, at UFC 255.
Figueiredo vs. Garbrandt, and Shevchenko vs. Maia have been confirmed by UFC president Dana White, according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. This will mark the first UFC flyweight title defense for newly crowned champion Figueiredo, and the fourth consecutive title defense for UFC women’s flyweight champion Shevchenko.
“Tell everybody, we’re knocking him out,” Figueiredo’s manager, Wallid Ismail, reportedly told Okamoto via text on Friday morning.
Figueiredo (19-1) secured the flyweight title in a brutal first-round technical submission win over perennial contender Joseph Benavidez on July 19. Garbrandt (12-3) turned his poor fortune around on June 6, knocking out Raphael Assuncao at 4:59 of Round 2 to end a three-fight skid. This fight marks the first time the former bantamweight champion is moving down to 125-pounds.
Shevchenko (19-3) has developed a reputation as the Thanos of women’s flyweight and one of the all-time best female fighters. She defeated former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk in December 2018 to win the title. She has since dominated challengers Jessica Eye, Liz Carmouche and Katlyn Chookagian. Maia (18-6-1) stole Joanne Calderwood’s title shot after finishing her via first-round armbar at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan.
UFC 255 takes place on November 21.
