A doomed division? Destiny of UFC flyweights stays a thriller
Marc RaimondiESPN
Henry Cejudo remembers working into Demetrious Johnson backstage at a UFC occasion in early 2016, earlier than their first struggle for the flyweight title. Johnson was the longtime champion, Cejudo the upstart challenger and 2008 Olympic gold medalist.
Cejudo approached Johnson as he stood along with his household. There have been already rumors that the 125-pound division may not final for much longer due to an absence of box-office curiosity. Cejudo, having checked out what was taking place in different, extra common divisions, advised Johnson they need to “stir the pot” to construct extra buzz round their bout.
“They’re gonna do away with our weight class,” Cejudo advised Johnson, whom Cejudo claims disregarded the suggestion.
Now, three years later, Cejudo is a two-division UFC champion whose success might need single-handedly saved the flyweight division. Though he misplaced that first struggle towards Johnson, Cejudo got here again to win the rematch for the belt at UFC 227 final August.
The UFC Combat Night time principal occasion on Saturday options two of the heaviest hitters on the UFC roster, Francis Ngannou and Junior Dos Santos. Extra necessary, a title shot might be at stake on this battle between extremely ranked heavyweights.
UFC Combat Night time: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos
• Saturday, Minneapolis
• Prelims: ESPN 6 p.m. ET
• Essential card: ESPN 9 p.m. ET
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Shortly after shedding the title to Cejudo, Johnson was traded from the UFC to ONE Championship. After years of Johnson being the standout performer within the division, the way forward for the flyweights within the UFC regarded bleak.
“Individuals did not care,” UFC president Dana White mentioned of the flyweight division shortly after Johnson’s departure. “I battled for a very long time, I attempted to maintain it alive and clearly, it is nonetheless occurring now. We nonetheless have fights occurring in that division, however we’ll see what the longer term holds for it.”
Then Cejudo swept in, knocked out then-bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw within the first spherical in a flyweight title problem, constructed up pleasure and buzz for his bantamweight title struggle towards Marlon Moraes and pulled off a powerful victory within the course of. White gave his first substantial touch upon the standing of the flyweights within the rapid aftermath, confirming that the 125-pound division will proceed. And whereas the way forward for the load class stays extremely unsure, for now, the fighters will get their likelihood to show they nonetheless belong within the UFC.
The primary occasion of UFC Combat Night time in Minneapolis on Saturday options two of the toughest hitters in blended martial arts: heavyweights Francis Ngannou and Junior Dos Santos. However essentially the most essential bout might be the one involving two of the smallest opponents on the cardboard, Joseph Benavidez and Jussier Formiga.
Whether or not there’s rather a lot on the road for this bout, or not a lot, continues to be unclear. Formiga is No. 1 within the UFC’s flyweight rankings; Benavidez, who owns a win over Cejudo, is No. 2. Formiga vs. Benavidez looks as if a real title eliminator if there ever was one. Each males say they’re sure a shot on the belt is subsequent for the winner, however neither actually is aware of if he’ll get it.
Benavidez beat Formiga in 2013 by first-round TKO, however he is on the level now the place he has to defeat fighters twice to be able to push by way of for a title shot. Formiga (23-5) has received 4 straight and regarded dominant.
Benavidez additionally holds a trump card, ought to he win, that would give a future flyweight title shot towards Cejudo a robust narrative to construct upon.
“Proper now, for the time being, I believe [Cejudo] has to understand and everybody else in all probability does notice — matchmakers and stuff — that his finest struggle, most fascinating struggle and largest struggle he might do is me, the man that has the final win over him,” Benavidez mentioned.
Joseph Benavidez, proper, and Jussier Formiga will rematch from a 2013 struggle Benavidez received by way of first-round TKO. Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Pictures
Formiga vs. Benavidez ought to have all of the flyweight stakes. However the coming months are murky for the division, significantly with the shoulder damage Cejudo suffered in his bantamweight title victory towards Moraes at UFC 238, and contemplating his standing as a double champion.
“Nothing is for certain, however what’s in entrance of me is there’s a division,” Benavidez mentioned. “In order that’s form of what I have a look at. I believe for some time there it was form of bizarre, as a result of guys would lose after which they’d get reduce. However then Dana [White] comes out and says, ‘Hey, the division is sticking round.'”
The UFC solely has 12 flyweights eligible for its rankings, not even sufficient to fill the division’s top-15. Nearly each flyweight that has misplaced over the previous couple of months has both been reduce or moved up in weight. Among the many ranked flyweights who stay, Tim Elliott and Alex Perez each fought most not too long ago at bantamweight. At its numerical peak final fall earlier than Johnson was despatched packing, the flyweight division had 35 fighters, in accordance with MMA journalist Zane Simon, who compiles UFC roster statistics for BloodyElbow.com.
Cejudo positioned the blame for the 7-year-old weight class being in shambles instantly on Johnson and his unwillingness to promote fights.
“Demetrious Johnson by no means did it,” Cejudo mentioned at a media lunch earlier this month. “Demetrious Johnson is the rationale why our weight class is being exited. It is due to that. … I am really form of pissed at him now, the extra I give it some thought.”
To that, Johnson responded, “Disgrace on him. It is not my fault. And he is aware of it.”
“Demetrious Johnson is the rationale why our weight class is being exited.”
UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo
So who’s at fault, then, if anybody? It is not instantly clear, like every projection of the place the flyweights will stand within the UFC a number of months from now. Cejudo might need performed his personal position in making the 125-pound division defunct when he beat Moraes, as he now has the duty of getting to defend two belts. The brand new champ-champ can even doubtless be out for the rest of the 12 months after present process shoulder surgical procedure final week.
Meaning no bantamweight title defenses for the remainder of 2019 and no flyweight title defenses — possibly ever once more, at the very least in Cejudo’s case. In his postfight interview after the win over Moraes, Cejudo referred to as out a number of names in two weight lessons — neither of them flyweight.
However White mentioned on the UFC 238 postfight information convention that the 125-pound division just isn’t going anyplace and Cejudo beating Moraes helped the trigger.
Formiga mentioned he believes the UFC is “renovating” the division, not killing it. That is how he explains the current releases.
“I believe that being No. 1 within the division has to imply one thing,” the Brazilian fighter mentioned. “I believe that sooner or later, there’s gonna be a title shot or interim belt. I do not know. One thing has to occur after this struggle, particularly when Dana White mentioned that he is not going to ship the division away — that 125 continues to be gonna be a division within the UFC. That’s my hope.”
With whispers of the division’s pending demise, Cejudo beat Johnson in August 2018 by break up determination. Johnson had a file 11 consecutive UFC title defenses coming in. He was probably the most dominant champions in UFC historical past and among the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet.
Henry Cejudo scored a historic upset at UFC 227, defeating longtime champion Demetrious Johnson by determination. Joe Scarnici/Getty Pictures
Regardless of that just about unparalleled résumé, Johnson was traded in October by the UFC to Asia’s ONE Championship in alternate for ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren. Just a few weeks later, White mentioned on the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast that the flyweight division “by no means caught on” with followers.
Johnson mentioned he is not positive if the UFC ever totally dedicated to selling the flyweight division. He mentioned he did main promos for fights throughout his title reign and that some by no means noticed the sunshine of day. However Johnson mentioned he’s lifelike concerning the weight class he as soon as dominated. He mentioned the UFC is a enterprise and if one a part of that enterprise just isn’t earning profits, typically it’s important to make tough selections.
“You are mainly asking a query like, ‘How come Kia Souls do not promote like a Honda Civic or Teslas?'” Johnson mentioned. “[A Kia Soul] is nearly as good a automobile, it is nice to drive. I had a buddy who had it and drove 275,000 miles on it. You ask why it would not promote? As a result of folks do not just like the f—ing automobile. It is that straightforward. The automobile drives. That is how I really feel. That is my trustworthy opinion.”
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Some nonetheless maintain onto hope for the UFC flyweight division. Identical to the UFC fighters who stay at 125 kilos, the UFC’s opponents imagine shutting down the division is not good for enterprise.
“I simply do not suppose that DJ was marketed proper,” ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong mentioned. “I believe ONE Championship, we have began advertising and marketing him and he is already began resonating with followers, our followers when it comes to his life story, his values, his superb athleticism and clearly unimaginable achievements.”
Johnson, nicknamed “Mighty Mouse,” mentioned he has been embraced by ONE’s Asian viewers, which appears to be extra aware of the shorter, lighter males making up MMA’s smaller weight lessons.
5 months after dethroning Johnson, Cejudo defended the flyweight title at UFC Brooklyn in January, knocking out bantamweight champion Dillashaw in 32 seconds in a superfight. It was the principle occasion of the primary UFC card on ESPN+ and made main headlines. Benavidez thought that was nice for the division, displaying that the flyweight champion might cease the bantamweight champ in an enormous, headlining efficiency.
In hopes of constructing his model — and the division’s clout — Cejudo has continued to amp up his prefight rhetoric. At UFC 238 media day in early June, he wore a crown and carried a scepter to the stage for his staredown with Moraes. He is speaking much more than Johnson ever did, continually reminding folks of his gold medal and embracing his corniness because the self-proclaimed “King of Cringe.” Benavidez mentioned he believes Cejudo’s schtick has made a distinction, although he doesn’t begrudge Johnson simply being himself through the years.
“Sadly, that is what folks anticipate, that is what persons are drawn to,” Benavidez mentioned of outside-the-cage excessive jinks. “If it isn’t taking place, that is what folks suppose they’re lacking. Like, ‘Oh, they do not have like a personality or somebody on the market that is memeworthy or cringeworthy.’ There all the time needs to be that, and whether or not folks prefer it, dislike it or no matter, they discuss it. That’s typically extra necessary than folks not speaking about folks simply being themselves, as an illustration like a Demetrious.”
Henry Cejudo stole the present at UFC 238 media day in June by carrying a fancy dress. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Pictures
Nobody is aware of higher than Benavidez, 34, who has principally resigned himself to the truth that the flyweight division is for essentially the most educated followers — those who watch MMA religiously each week. He is been within the 125-pound weight class since its UFC inception in 2012, falling to Johnson by break up determination within the first flyweight match closing at UFC 152.
Benavidez (27-5) has misplaced solely twice since, as soon as to Johnson in a rematch for the title and to Sergio Pettis final 12 months. He champions the pace, method and cardio of his flyweight brethren and believes these fighters are necessary items of the UFC roster by hammering residence how a division shouldn’t be judged on highlight-reel knockouts alone.
“It is simpler to have a look at a struggle as an outsider and simply need violence and leisure and brutality and a persona than to have a look at it as like a ability,” Benavidez mentioned. “When folks do have a look at it like a ability, I believe they’re actually drawn to our division.
“I see a heavyweight struggle, I am like, these guys are getting paid this, paid that. There’s all the time slightly little bit of motivation to exit and be like, nicely, look how nice our fights are, and all the time exit and placed on a present. Even once I see different folks in our division placing on good fights, I like that they are going on the market and proving it.”