These are unnerving times for folks who don’t want to see the UFC shutter the flyweight division, and if you’re one of those people, then recent comments Henry Cejudo made might fire you up…
Unless you’re a MMA-lite fan, you know that recently there’s been extensive speculation the UFC might punt the flyweight division. The consensus seems to be that if Cejudo can’t defend the flyweight title against bantamweight champ, T.J. Dillashaw this Saturday, then the 125 bracket will be sunset.
Well, recently Cejudo appeared on “The MMA Hour”, and the former Olympic Gold Medal wrestler had this to say about the situation (quotes via MMA Fighting):
“The flyweight division is going to be resurrected,” Cejudo said. “That’s what’s going to happen Saturday night. Think about it, think about it — this is the perfect story. We’re fighting on the inaugural ESPN+ fight card. ESPN, at flyweight. Henry Cejudo is going to defend it, he’s going to beat T.J. Dillashaw, and then the flyweight division is getting resurrected again. I mean, this is a quinceañera, man. This is like a little wedding for me. Are you kidding me? This [division] ain’t going nowhere, man. This thing ain’t going nowhere and T.J. Dillashaw is going to be my victim, and I love it.”
“I’ll be quite honest, I don’t know what the UFC is thinking, I don’t know how they’re thinking,” Cejudo acknowledged. “You know sometimes when you think something is shiny and gold, it tends to be rusted and bronze, but that’s just the way it is, man. But I’m going to do mine, I’m going to fight for my division, I’m going to beat this dude up Saturday night, and the flyweight division ain’t going nowhere. That’s all I could tell you.”
Now, is there a chance that if Cejudo does win the UFC could still shut down the flyweight division? Sure. One could certainly wonder, cynically, whether the promotion has already made that determination, but doesn’t want to publicly say it, as means to drive interest in this weekend’s bout. Dana White, it should be stated, has claimed that the division’s future has not been determined.
But, if Cejudo does defeat Dillashaw, then you would think / hope, that doing so would spike fan interest in him and the division as well. Further, it would seem like a given then that the UFC would have Cejudo move up to 135 to challenge Dillashaw.
And is there any chance the division remains if Cejudo loses? It’s not out of the question, particularly if Cejudo has a strong showing and the fight’s well received. But, it would really help the flyweight division out if the decorated wrestler wins…