UFC 283 was the first pay-per-view event of 2023 and it surely lived up to the hype. This event was the first UFC card in Brazil with fans in attendance since November 2019.
UFC 283 card was headlined by Brazilian light heavyweight Glover Teixeira who fought Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The co-main event welcomed a quadrilogy — yes, a quadrilogy. Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo took on interim champ Brandon Moreno for the unified flyweight belt to put an end to their storied rivalry.
The card also had some notable fights, including another Brazilian native, Gilbert Burns, who took on and finished Neil Magny. Burns demonstrated his veteran poise and world-class jiujitsu as he subbed Magny with an arm triangle in the first round. Burns lines himself up for another potential welterweight championship fight in the near future.
UFC 283’s co-main, with Figueiredo and Moreno, was a highly anticipated clash. Before discussing the result, it’s vital to note the history between these two respected foes.
Moreno and Figueiredo are forever linked in the UFC history books, with multiple remarkable bouts over the years. Heading into UFC 283, these two combatants have become respected rivals within the 125-pound division. Their first fight against one another at UFC 256 ended in a draw. The second at UFC 263 saw Moreno defeat Figueiredo and become the first Mexican-born UFC champion in the history of the UFC’s promotion. For their trilogy at UFC 270, Figueiredo reclaimed his belt and brought it back to Brazil.
All three of their bouts were spectacular, resulting in the UFC booking a historic first quadrilogy fight.
At UFC 283, Moreno entered enemy territory with a notoriously hostile Brazilian crowd. The Brazilian fans are known for their gladiatorlike chant “Uh vai morrer,” which translates to “you’re going to die.”
Moreno put an end to this storied rivalry by completely dominating Figueiredo through three rounds, resulting in a TKO finish.
Moreno now sits atop the 125-pound division and welcomes fresh competitors, as Figueiredo announced he will be moving up to the 135-pound class. Either way, both men brought life to a flyweight division that seemed to be nearing its downfall before they arrived.
As for the big boys at 205 in the main event, Teixeira looked to reclaim the vacant light heavyweight belt against powerhouse Hill. This battle was one for the ages — and as for ages, Teixeira was the second-oldest UFC champion at 42 years old when he won the belt at UFC 267 in 2021.
Despite the remarkable story Teixeira has been as of late, defying both Father Time and age, Hill put on a clinic and ended up becoming the new champion at 205. Hill broke Marvin Vettori’s light heavyweight record for significant strikes in a single fight with 232 landed on Teixeira.
Hill’s speed and striking ability overpowered Teixeira as the fight progressed in the later rounds. But the story of the fight was Hill’s ability to deny 15 of 17 takedown attempts from the slick grappler Teixeira, turning the fight into a stand-and-bang encounter for five rounds.
Teixeira unsurprisingly retired at the end of the fight and hung up the MMA gloves after a lengthy and successful career. In true Teixeira fashion, he left no stone unturned.
Ultimately, Hill has now proved his grappling is just as elite as his potent striking, thus making him a complete champion. The 205 division now welcomes a new king: Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill.
As for UFC 283 as a whole, the card opened the year with the first major fight card, while also welcoming the new year with fresh and renewed titleholders. Up next, UFC 284 in Australia.
