Chartway Arena, in Norfolk, Virginia, will host UFC Fight Night 169 on Saturday night. The main event is a fight for the UFC Flyweight Championship, currently vacant, between Joseph Benavidez, a former challenger, and Deiveson Figueiredo. Henry Cejudo vacated the title in December, 2019, when he said he would focus on fighting as a bantamweight. The co-headliner pits Felicia Spencer against Zarah Fairn dos Santos in a women’s featherweight fight. The whole night’s action will be broadcast on ESPN+. We have the full fight card as well as UFC betting thoughts on some of the key fights.
UFC Fight Night 169: Benavidez vs Figueiredo Fight Preview & Odds
Main Card (ESPN+)
- Joseph Benavidez vs Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC Flyweight Championship)
- Felicia Spencer vs Zarah Fairn dos Santos (Women’s Featherweight)
- Ion Cutelaba vs Magomed Ankalaev (Light Heavyweight)
- Megan Anderson vs Norma Dumont Viana (Women’s Featherweight)
- Grant Dawson vs Darrick Minner (Featherweight)
Preliminary Card (ESPN+)
- Gabriel Silva vs Kyler Phillips (Bantamweight)
- Brendan Allen vs Tom Breese (Middleweight)
- Marcin Tybura vs Sergey Spivak (Heavyweight)
- Luis Pena vs Steve Garcia (Lightweight)
- Jordan Griffin vs T.J. Brown (Featherweight)
- Aalon Cruz vs Spike Carlyle (Featherweight)
- Ismail Naurdiev vs Sean Brady (Welterweight)
Joseph Benavidez (28-5, -145) vs Deiveson Figueiredo (17-1, +125) brings us the fighter who, for many, is the best UFC pugilist who has never won a title in Benavidez. He has waited a little over six years to get this chance. Demetrious Johnson won the first flyweight tournament in 2012, taking down Benavidez via split decision in the final. Benavidez earned a rematch in 2013, but Johnson knocked him out in just over two minutes, and UFC would not grant a third fight, despite the fact that Benavidez just kept winning. He beat Henry Cejudo in 2016 but then tore an ACL and was on the shelf for a year and a half. After his return, he lost to Sergio Pettis via decision but then took down Alex Perez, Dustin Ortiz and Jussier Formiga.
Standing in Benavidez’s way now is Deiveson Figueiredo, who made his UFC debut in 2017, and his approach is all about bringing power and strength to his striking. Other fighters deliver more punches, but he finds his openings and then delivers measured bombs. Jussier Formiga is the only one who has stopped him so far, taking advantage of the fact that once you get past the power, there isn’t much else to his game. In a sport in which punchers have their chance, Benavidez needs to watch out for that one punch from Figueiredo that could end the fight.
The two styles are different; Benavidez likes to use his grappling game, while Figueiredo likes to stay on his feet and go toe-to-toe. Benavidez uses the first few minutes of the fight to gauge the range of his opponent, which means that he will absorb some punishment. Figueiredo could amp up that punishment and bring things to an early end. Given the power that he brings, that is the better choice — and the one that brings more value.
Final Prediction: Figueiredo wins via knockout
Felicia Spencer (7-1, -800) vs Zarah Fairn dos Santos (6-3, +550) is the next step for either of these fighters to move toward a title shot against champion Amanda Nunes. Spencer has fought twice in UFC since leaving Invicta Fighting Championships. She got Megan Anderson to tap out in her debut and then worked hard against Cristiane Justino, who delivered an emphatic beating. Now she will try to get a new winning streak going against Fairn dos Santos.
Fairn dos Santos made her UFC debut in October, also against Megan Anderson, and ended up on the wrong end of a submission. She has a solid kickboxing game, but Spences is the sort of aggressive grappler who should be able to move in and get Fairn dos Santos to the ground relatively quickly.
Final Prediction: Spencer wins via submission
