The UFC’s flyweight division is in a very weird spot at the moment. Some 125-pound fighters have already been cut, and a recent ESPN report suggests managers of flyweight fighters have been contacted and alerted that the UFC plans to shut down the division. However, it was then announced current flyweight champion, Henry Cejudo, now has a title defense.
Cejudo will defend his title against TJ Dillashaw at UFC 233 in Anaheim, California in January. Dillashaw will attempt to become the third man to hold two titles simultaneously in the UFC. It’s also rumored this could be the last men’s 125-pound title fight in UFC history. The writing was on the wall for the end of the 125-pound division after Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson was traded to ONE Championship.
Johnson lost his first fight at 125 pounds to Cejudo over the summer. As a result, he dropped the flyweight title as well. Now, the UFC could stand to close down the division, which has never been much of a draw, even with Johnson as champion. Speaking on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” recently, Dillashaw commented on his upcoming fight with Cejudo.
Dillashaw said that the UFC paid him a “f*** ton” of money to kill the flyweight division:
"(The UFC) paid me a f— ton of money to kill the division."
TJ Dillashaw to @arielhelwani on the flyweights.#HelwaniShow
— Greg Rosenstein (@grosenstein) November 12, 2018
What do you make of Dillashaw’s comments about the flyweight division?
