Report: Figueiredo Passes COVID Test, Rematch With Benavidez Still On

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Another UFC title fight is in danger as July 19th’s Benavidez vs. Figueiredo fight rests on whether Abu Dhabi will let Figueiredo onto Fight Island with COVID antibodies.

The Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on UFC cards, but perhaps not as much havoc on next weekend’s UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 card as it did UFC 251. This weekend’s event saw main event challenger Gilbert Burns test positive for COVID-19, opening the door for Jorge Masvidal to step in and snatch some sweet sweet money if not a win over Kamaru Usman.

July 19th’s main event saw a similar positive test potentially screw things up when flyweight title challenger Deiveson Figueiredo tested positive ... but it turns out he probably only tested positive for antibodies that remain after you fight off the virus.

It’s all a somewhat confusing tale with no definite answers that a bleary eyed Dana White simply shrugged at when asked for an update after UFC 251. So let’s explain it through several days worth of reports on Twitter instead.

Dana White says at the press conference that should Deiveson Figueiredo be unable to compete next Saturday that Alexandre Pantoja will fill in for him for the flyweight title.

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) July 12, 2020

Deiveson Figueiredo’s team tells me he passed Saturday’s COVID test but no official word yet from UFC on whether he’s cleared to fight for the flyweight belt next weekend. Waiting for clearance on them. If he is, he’d fly to Abu Dhabi tomorrow.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 12, 2020

Re: Deiveson Figueiredo’s status, his manager Wallid Ismail tells me Figueiredo had COVID 2 months ago. He tested positive today again. He is scheduled to get tested again tomorrow at 11 am local. They are hoping it’s a false positive and he’ll be able to fly to Abu Dhabi Sunday.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 11, 2020

Per @alonsopvt, Deiveson Figueiredo is looking to board a flight to Abu Dhabi tonight after UFC doctors have cleared him following a negative COVID-19 test via his manager Wallid Ismail. https://t.co/47qkz4oCrH

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) July 12, 2020

And for those of you worried about Figueiredo missing weight for the rematch like he did in his first fight with Benavidez, rendering him unable to claim the flyweight title? It sounds like things are on much better footing this time.

According to Wallid weighting 135 lbs today. In the Last fight He was weighting 147 seven days before the fight

— marcelo alonso (@alonsopvt) July 12, 2020

Now before you get too excited that everything’s all good, keep in mind Figueiredo will still have to submit to multiple COVID-19 tests in Abu Dhabi. If any of those sets off alarm bells with whatever medical agency is monitoring the UFC’s operations in the UAE, he could still find himself pulled from the card. The procedures being followed seem to be erring on the side of extreme caution — commentator Paul Felder found himself pulled from working UFC 251 simply because another UFC participant seated near him on the plane to Las Vegas tested positive. Even COVID antibodies may be enough to freak out whoever is running the bubble to get into Abu Dhabi and Fight Island.

So cross your fingers and feel hopeful that we’ll get to see Figueiredo and Benavidez run things back next weekend. But if things fall through, the 22-4 (6-2 UFC) Alexandre Pantoja will be promoted up the card into the main event.

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