Deiveson Figueiredo has shown uncommon power for a flyweight
Thanks to a failed weight cut, Deiveson Figueiredo needed to actually defeat Joseph Benavidez twice. Not only did he stop Benavidez again in the rematch, but he also picked up two more knockdowns. He now has registered eight knockdowns in his nine-fight UFC career. Despite competing in one of the smallest weight classes in the sport, Figueiredo has displayed outstanding striking power.
Figueiredo currently ranks 13th among ranked fighters in terms of knockdowns per 15 minutes of fight time with 1.37. Many of the fighters ranked ahead of him on this measure are benefiting from small sample sizes. When including only fighters with five or more fights, he jumps to ninth.
The average knockdowns per 15 minute rate for a ranked flyweight is 0.45, and six of the 16 ranked flyweights have never scored a knockdown. Figueiredo’s rate is even higher than heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou (1.34).
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Figueiredo’s power is that he is not a volume striker. He has landed only 2.80 significant strikes per minute. That is the third lowest rate among ranked flyweights. While some fighters damage their opponents and score knockdowns via an accumulation of strikes, that is not the case for the flyweight champion.
This is evident via his significant strikes per knockdown rate. To the surprise of nobody, Ngannou leads all ranked fighters in terms of this metric. He lands a knockdown for every 25 significant strikes, but Figueiredo is not far behind. His significant strike per knockdown rate is only marginally higher than Ngannou’s mark at 31, and that is the sixth best measure across all ranked fighters.
Challenger Alex Perez has never been knocked down in his eight-fight UFC career, but he will certainly be facing a different level of power in this contest.