It comes with the territory at 125 pounds. Not only is UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo tasked with defending his title, but he also needs to draw attention to the weight class -- something flyweights have generally struggled to do since the UFC added the division in 2012.
Former champion Demetrious Johnson never got the masses to care about 125 pounds, despite a dominant six-year run that included 11 title defenses. And Henry Cejudo, who took the title from Johnson in 2018, didn't stay long enough to truly make an impact. He moved up in weight in 2019, and he retired in 2020.
But Figueiredo (19-1), who grew up on a small farm in Soure, Brazil, might just be the right man for the job. The 32-year-old carries the swagger of the most devastating striker in the division, and he dominated longtime flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez -- twice -- in 2020.
Figueiredo's path to a UFC championship was not a straight line. Prior to stepping inside the Octagon, he fought in regional promotions in Brazil to gain experience and, of course, earn some income. But beyond fighting, he held a diverse array of jobs throughout his life. Some fit the profile of what one might expect from a fighter -- others not so much. Some jobs were just moneymakers for Figueiredo, while others were born out of his passions and could figure into his post-fighting future.
As Figueiredo prepares for his first title defense, against Alex Perez at UFC 255 on Saturday in Las Vegas, ESPN went into his personnel file to take a look at the résumé of a fighter who might be ready for a long reign atop the flyweight division.