
Henry Cejudo has defeated one of the greatest fighters the game has ever seen, and is an Olympic Gold Medal wrestler, but T.J. Dillashaw claims he doesn’t see much of a challenge in the flyweight champ.
The bantamweight champ has dropped down to face Cejudo for the 125 title tonight at UFC Brooklyn, in what will be the latter’s first fight, since he ended Demetrious Johnson’s historic reign last August. Dillashaw campaigned for a bout with Johnson when he was the flyweight king, and after Cejudo took the belt, he agreed to face the decorated wrestler.
Well, Dillashaw has repeatedly said he’s certain he’s going to become the UFC’s latest champ-champ. Case in point, recently he told BJ Penn Radio this (quote via MMA Mania):
“I mean he’s competitive,” Dillashaw said. “He’s an athlete. He’s an Olympic gold mentalist so he’s got some attributes, but really I don’t see a challenge. I see me just having to get out there and perform. Go out there and have some fun, perform.”
“I’ll be the last flyweight champion,” Dillashaw added. “I mean really what it comes down to man, is cementing my legacy and realizing that I’m the greatest fighter on this planet. I think that I’m the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and that’s me proving it. I’ll be able to go down a weight class, I can go up a weight class, I can beat everyone and I know it. Me and Duane [Ludwig], my coach, and my teammates and my other coaches know that I’m the greatest pound-for-pound fighter and I’m looking to prove it.”
When you consider the abilities of Dillashaw, and some of the fighters he’s defeated, the fact he’s brimming with confidence shouldn’t come as a surprise. But, does he really not see Cejudo as a challenge? Or is the 135 champ saying that to promote the fight?
Either way, tonight’s main event should be a fascinating affair.
Here is the complete line-up for UFC Brooklyn.
MAIN CARD (ESPN+/10 p.m. ET)
UFC Flyweight Championship
Henry Cejudo (c) vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Heavyweight: Greg Hardy vs. Allen Crowder
Lightweight: Gregor Gillespie vs. Yancy Medeiros
Flyweight: Joseph Benavidez vs. Dustin Ortiz
Female Flyweight: Paige Van Zant vs. Rachael Ostovich
Light Heavyweight: Glover Teixeira vs. Karl Roberson
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/8 p.m. ET)
Lightweight: Donald Cerrone vs. Alexander Hernandez
Female Flyweight: Joanne Calderwood vs. Ariane Lipski
Light Heavyweight: Alonzo Menifield vs. Vinicius Moreira
Bantamweight: Mario Bautista vs. Cory Sandhagen
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+/6 p.m. ET)
Lightweight: Dennis Bermudez vs. Te’Jovan Edwards
Welterweight: Belal Muhammad vs. Geoff Neal
Welterweight: Kyle Stewart vs. Chance Rencountre