An exciting UFC 290 Flyweight fight has finally been canceled.
UFC Charlotte went down tonight (Sat., May 13, 2023) from inside Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. During the post-fight press conference (watch here), UFC President Dana White revealed that the scheduled Flyweight clash between Deiveson Figueiredo and Manel Kape is now apparently off because the former Flyweight champion is moving up to Bantamweight.
“I thought it was [on] yesterday,” White told reporters. “So, yes, then he tells some guy no, then I hear again yesterday, yes, and now he tells me that he’s moving up in weight. Who the hell knows, man. Who the hell knows. This is the nutty s—t we have to deal with on a daily basis.”
It has been a giant game of ‘he said, she said’ for the past few months between Figueiredo and Kape. As of last Thursday (May 11), Figueiredo told MMA Fighting that he wasn’t fighting; however, Kape told MMA Mania that he was assured by the matchmakers the fight would take place.
Now that “Deus da Guerra” has told the UFC he is moving up in weight, the fight can finally go dark and be put in the folder of ‘what ifs.’ Figueiredo teased a jump to Bantamweight after losing to Brandon Moreno at UFC 283 earlier this year in Brazil but until now was staying at Flyweight for at least three more fights.
For Kape, he must have walked underneath a ladder because he is having horrible luck booking a fight and even fighting. “Starboy” has had six canceled fights in two years inside the UFC, including two that were canceled within a day of the fight.
For complete UFC Charlotte results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
