Last time out, Jackson didn’t score a finish, but he became the first man to defeat Daniel Marcos, earning the No. 15 spot in the rankings. Now a true contender at 135 pounds, the Wisconsin-native isn’t wasting any time to try and climb the bantamweight ladder.

His first ranked test will come against none other than former 2-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Fight Night: Oliveira vs Gamrot on October 11 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

UFC RIO: Fight By Fight Preview | Rise Of Vicente Luque

“This is the fight we’re always looking for,” Jackson said.

Figueiredo is currently the No. 6 ranked contender coming off back-to-back losses to former champion Petr Yan and recent title challenger Cory Sandhagen. Prior to those setbacks, “Deus da Guerra” won three in a row after moving up to the 135-pound division from flyweight, finishing Cody Garbrandt and securing decision wins over Marlon Vera and Rob Font.