As the MMA world continues to buzz over Henry Cejudo’s quick, stoppage win over T.J. Dillashaw at UFC Brooklyn, debates continue as to whether the fight was stopped too quickly.
Cejudo hurt Dillashaw not long into the fight, and as the bantamweight champ attempted to work his way up-and-out, the flyweight champ cracked him with several more punches. Immediately after referee Kevin MacDonald jumped in to stop the fight Dillashaw protested his decision. and the renowned fighter continued to do so during the post-fight presser. UFC President Dana White also relayed he thought the stoppage was brutal.
Well, Cejudo has argued that Dillashaw was badly hurt during the exchange and that the stoppage was legit. His coach, Eric Albarracin, appeared on the latest “MMA Hour” and he had this to say about the fight’s conclusion (quotes via MMA Fighting):
“Obviously anything could’ve went a little bit longer, but I think the result might’ve been the same, would’ve been the same, probably just more damage on him,” Albarracin said. “Henry was hurting him. He hit him with the kick, the head kick. He hit him with the left. I think one behind the ear, he got a straight right over the ear. And there’s a YouTube that’s called ‘What Really Happened With T.J. Dillashaw vs. Henry Cejudo,’ and they break it down perfectly, how many shots he took and how he wasn’t defending himself intelligently, how the wrong hand was up, Henry was over here but he was looking over here.
“So, he explains it perfectly and I’d rather have — that’s probably the best video for us to watch, because he breaks it down blow-by-blow.”
Now, since Albarracin is Cejudo’s coach, some folks, including Dillashaw supporters, will argue he’s just being biased. But he’s not the only person since Saturday who has cited video footage of the fight’s final moments, while making the case the bout wasn’t stopped prematurely.
You can check out the specific video Albarracin referred to below.
Whether you agree that the fight should have been stopped when it was or not, what remains to be seen is what’s next for Cejudo and the 125 division. Is the UFC going to keep the flyweight division around? And if so, is Joseph Benavidez going to fight Cejudo next? Or is the promotion going to look at having Cejudo face Dillashaw at 135?
At UFC Brooklyn, Cejudo was fighting for the first time since last August, when he ended Demetrious Johnson’s historic reign as the flyweight champ. Cejudo won the bout via split decision.