As Deiveson Figueiredo prepares to face Montel Jackson on October 11, 2025, at UFC Fight Night in Rio de Janeiro, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion is fighting not only for victory but also for redemption, following back-to-back defeats and a devastating knee injury that disrupted his momentum earlier this year.

Now competing in the bantamweight division, “Deus da Guerra” is determined to prove he can still compete with the best, and a victory in front of his home fans might pave the way for a potential 2026 title fight with reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili. However, in order to fully understand the significance of his upcoming fight, it’s necessary to recall the terrible injury that led him to withdraw from his previous bout against Cory Sandhagen at UFC Des Moines.

Deiveson Figueiredo suffers a painful knee injury at UFC Des Moines

Deiveson Figueiredo’s bantamweight career took a turn for the worse when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury while fighting Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ESPN 67 in Des Moines, Iowa. The bout ended in the second round following a tense leg-lock exchange that left the former flyweight king in obvious agony.

In a grappling scramble, both competitors locked into a 50/50 position, each attempting to strike the other’s legs. Unfortunately for Figueiredo, Sandhagen found the right leverage and twisted at an angle, causing a tear in the anterolateral ligament (ALL) of his knee. The pain was immediate, as ‘God of War’ grimaced, tapped, and the fight was stopped, giving Sandhagen a TKO win via injury.

Figueiredo had never lost consecutive fights before. Prior to that, he lost a decision to Petr Yan in November, capping a three-fight winning streak that reignited his title dreams. To make matters worse, ‘God of War’ later admitted that he entered the Sandhagen fight already compromised.

Speaking after the loss, the Brazilian admitted to dealing with a number of health difficulties, including a dislocated jaw from sparring three weeks prior to the bout and a staph infection in his leg that required antibiotics. “The result is not always what we want, but the fight goes on,” he wrote on Instagram in Portuguese.

“Thank you to God, my family, my team, and all of you who believe in me. We will come back stronger.” Despite the pain and setbacks, Figueiredo showed his signature grit, promising fans that this was just another chapter in his long MMA career.

Figueiredo avoids surgery, manager provides updates

Fortunately for Deiveson Figueiredo, his knee injury was not as severe as initially thought. His manager, Alex Davis, told MMA Fighting that the ligament tear did not require surgery, which is a great relief given that a more serious injury, such as an ACL or MCL rupture, might have sidelined him for a year or more. Instead, ‘God of War’ was given a prescription for physical therapy and rest, which he began almost immediately after returning to Brazil.

“It’s very painful,” Davis admitted, “but he did not get finished. It was just a freak accident.” Replays showed the 37-year-old’s knee snapping when Sandhagen sat up from their tangle, showing how unpredictable and dangerous leg entanglements can be in high-level MMA. Even as he was healing, ‘God of War’ expressed a desire to fight again, suggesting that his warrior spirit had not faded.

Though no official schedule for his return has been provided, sources indicate that his recovery has gone well, and Figueiredo hopes to make a full comeback against Montel Jackson this weekend. The former flyweight champion has also spoken openly about the tactical error that cost him the fight, acknowledging that attacking Sandhagen on the ground was a mistake.

“It was the wrong decision,” he told Sherdog. “If I had kept the fight standing, the result could have been different.” Now, with his knee healed and his focus restored, Deiveson Figueiredo is eager to remind the world of the fierceness and precision that once made him a two-division threat. A victory in Rio will not only mend the wounds from UFC Des Moines, but it may also rekindle his quest for the bantamweight crown.