Even though the flyweight division now has a future, Deiveson Figueiredoand Alexandre Pantoja fought like it was closing down.

A bloodied Pantoja (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) never stopped pushing over three rounds, but his heart wasn’t enough to overcome the power and composure of Figueiredo (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who took home unanimous 30-27 scores.

The flyweight bout took place Saturday at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and opened the ESPN-televised prelims.

Pantoja’s early strategy of getting in, getting out, and avoiding hammers proved to a difficult task. Just a few hooks made their mark of his face, so it was no wonder that Pantoja pushed for a ground fight, while Figueiredo played interception as his opponent got in range, stinging his opponent coming in.

Figueiredo kept the fight standing as the fight went into the second round, and Pantoja was forced to slug it out. The shots he landed, Figueiredo took without issue. But as the round progressed, the heavy-handed slugger’s output slowed. He threw fewer hammers and relied on lead elbows until he was forced into a firefight. There, his power again revealed itself with a right hand that sent Pantoja crashing to the canvas.

Figueiredo welcomed a phone-booth fight in the final frame, battering Pantoja early with elbows as he fought the clinch. Those elbows were equally effective at distance as he cracked Pantoja repeatedly with the technique, opening cuts that bled generously. As Pantoja chased down revenge, Figueiredo alternately threatened the takedown and greeted his opponent with step in elbows. Pantoja never quit, and he landed several hard punches in the final seconds as Figueiredo tired.

It was a “Fight of the Night” display from two top flyweights. Figueiredo gets back to the win column after his first octagon setback against Jussier Formiga, while Pantoja goes back to the drawing board after three straight wins including a TKO of onetime title challenger Wilson Reis.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 240 results include:

• Deiveson Figueiredo def. Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Gillian Robertson def. Sarah Frota via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:13
• Erik Koch def. Kyle Stewart via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

For complete coverage of UFC 240, check out the UFC results.