Brandon Moreno and Deivson Figueiredo will likely not go down as one of the essential rivalries in UFC history. Several early rivalries during the UFC's early days will be more prominent because they helped launch the organization's popularity. But anyone making UFC fight night predictions will see that Moreno and Figueiredo's battle for the UFC Flyweight belt will forever be in the history books.
When Moreno recaptured the title by technical knockout (doctor's stoppage) on Jan. 22, 2023, at UFC 283 in Brazil., it was the fourth time the two men had met in the Octagon. Before then, no two fighters had ever been such frequent dance partners. With that in mind, here's a look at fighters that had several memorable meetings.
Why did Moreno and Figueiredo get a Fourth Fight?
Being forced into a fourth fight is something Figueiredo may spend the rest of his life being haunted by. When the two met at UFC 256, which was Figueiredo's second attempt at defending the title, Figueiredo was deducted a point for an illegal groin strike that led to the fight before scored a draw. In the rematch at UFC 263, Moreno became the first Mexican-born UFC champion by submitting Figueiredo in the third round.
With the series at 1-1, the UFC set up a trilogy fight. Figueiredo dropped Moreno several times to win the title with a unanimous decision. The fourth fight was expected to put a close to the rivalry. Moreno hit Figueiredo with a punch to the eye midway through the third round that forced Figuiredo's eye to close. The doctor would stop the fight because he couldn't see.
Tito and Chuck had a Memorable Feud
Tito Ortiz and Chuck Ortiz were two former training partners who would end up clashing over the UFC Light Heavyweight title. The two fighters were scheduled to fight three times in the UFC, but the third bout was canceled. Ortiz and Liddell, bizarrely, would meet for a third time under Golden Boy Promotions for an ill-fated pay-per-view in 2018.
The first meeting occurred at UFC 47, when Lidell knocked out Ortiz on April 4, 2004, in a non-title bout. The pair would meet up again at UFC 55, with the now-champion Liddell once again stopping Ortiz with punches to defend his Light Heavyweight championship for the fourth consecutive time.
Liddell came out of an eight-year retirement for a trilogy fight with Ortiz in November 2018. Ortiz finally got his win over Liddell, knocking him out in the first round.
Cormier Becomes Champ-Champ, but Never Defends vs. Stipe
When Daniel Cormier knocked out Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 in July 2018, he became the second man in UFC history, along with Randy Couture, to hold the UFC Light Heavyweight and heavyweight titles. Defending the heavyweight championship against the man he took it from was something Cormier would never do.
Cormier defended the heavyweight title once against Derrick Lewis before he was scheduled to fight Miocic again at UFC 241. Miocic won the second fight by a fourth-round TKO. When the two were paired for a third meeting, Miocic won a comfortable decision at UFC 252.
Hughes will Forever be Used Against GSP
Georges St. Pierre is one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. He is a multi-divisional champion who defended the welterweight crown 12 times, including 11 straight times before he retired the first time. However, GSP's first attempt at winning a title didn't end well for him.
Hughes caught GSP at the end of the first round and ended up locking up an armbar victory at UFC 50 in October 2004 with one second left in the round. It would take two years for GSP to get another shot at Hughes. During the rematch at UFC 56, Hughes got caught with a GSP kick and lost via TKO. Hughes would earn one more shot at the title, but GSP would bring some symmetry to close the close of their trilogy.
Hughes submitted GSP in the second round to win an interim welterweight crown. In a career where many opponents bent under the pressure of GSP's wrestling, Hughes was able to be a thorn in his legacy at least once.
