Deiveson Figueiredo has reached impressive heights in his UFC run so far, but not without enduring significant hardships, especially when it comes to weight cuts. Remember when the Brazilian juggernaut missed weight in his flyweight title fight against Joseph Benavidez back in 2020? He came in over 2.5 lbs over the 125lbs limit and was fined 30 percent of his purse. The bout still headlined UFC Fight Night inside Chartway Arena, but Figueiredo was not able to claim the flyweight title even after scoring a TKO win in the second round.

“The weight was cut appropriately, but this morning, he presented a malaise of gastrointestinal origin. It was discussed with the doctor who monitors him, and together with the team, we chose to preserve the athlete, interrupting the weight loss and performing oral hydration, with the support of the UFC nutritionist,” Figueiredo’s manager, Wallid Ismail, said.

The former flyweight champion, now a bantamweight contender, once set his sights on joining the elite list of just 10 fighters in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes. As he told UFC.com back in 2024, “My main objective right now is to become a double champ.” However, that dream hit a major roadblock with his recent loss to Petr Yan. Now, Figueiredo is preparing for a critical matchup against top contender Cory Sandhagen.

The cut to 125 pounds was brutally taxing for the Brazilian, often leaving him physically drained. Moving to bantamweight offered some relief—weight cuts at 135 pounds have been more manageable—but concerns remain. Apart from the weight cut, injuries have already taken a hit on his success. At UFC 290, Figueiredo had to withdraw from his bout against Manel Kape due to vision-related issues. At UFC 283, he suffered damage to his orbital bone against Brandon Moreno. This prevented him from competing at the aforementioned event. Now, fans are once again on edge. The latest crisis? Well, it also seems to be related to the weight cut, but not because of a tough cut or anything.

A recent photo of Figueiredo—just a week before weigh-ins—sparked widespread concern online. Shared by Upfront MMA on X, the image was pulled from his Instagram and showed a visibly buffed Figueiredo. The caption read, “Deivison Figueiredo is almost unrecognizable the week before weigh-ins! #UFCFightNight.”

He is set to clash with Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night 256 in the headliner. However, fans have grown concerned after noticing his recent physical appearance. Let’s see what they have to say!

UFC fans react to the latest picture of Deiveson Figueiredo

One fan saw the picture and commented, “No way that’s him,” while another added, “That man looks like he’s 150 pounds right now.” For reference, 150lbs falls between the featherweight and lightweight divisions. However, his actual division is now bantamweight, which ranges from 126 to 135 lbs. So, if that fan’s observation is accurate, he appears a bit overweight for his class, especially with just around five days left until the fight against Sandhagen.

Another fan said, “I truly didn’t recognize him until I read the caption,” while one follower expressed concern, writing, “Will he be able to make weight?” The reactions kept coming, with one fan hilariously saying, “He looks like my homie.” Another netizen commented, “No shot this is him,” and one more chimed in with, “Almost 🤔 completely.”

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On the other hand, Cory Sandhagen is keeping things light but strategic in fight week. As seen on his social media, ‘The Sandman’ said, “With everything that you know, this week is gonna entail practicing my face-offs, which is important. Another thing that I do is, you know, water bottles are usually the weapon of choice at, you know, any fighters’ gathering of any type.”

So perhaps he’s ready to throw more than just punches at the press events. But the real question is—will Deiveson Figueiredo be able to make weight? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!