Joseph Benavidez may have been a trainer partner and teammate of T.J. Dillashaw, but the talented fighter has made it clear he’s going to be cheering for Henry Cejudo on Saturday night. In fact, if you enjoy watching flyweights throw down in the Octagon, but are going to be rooting for Dillashaw at UFC Brooklyn, Benavidez probably has a question for you.
As you know, Dillashaw is moving down to 125 to face Cejudo this weekend, in what will be the latter’s first title defense as the flyweight champ. The bout is taking place at a time when there’s been extensive talk the UFC might shutter the 125 division, particularly if Dillashaw wins.
Well, recently Benavidez spoke with MMA Weekly, and while discussing this Saturday’s super-fight, the perennial, flyweight contender said this:
“In a way T.J. made it about ‘I’m crushing the division, I’m getting paid to do it, I’m killing it’. So I don’t think any flyweight out there doesn’t want Henry to go out there and prove how good we are and being able to do it against a guy like T.J., who is considered one of the best pound-for-pound [fighters] in general coming down to the weight. I don’t think there’s any flyweight out there not rooting for the champion at our weight to go out there and prove what we can do.
“How could you not root for [Cejudo] after things T.J. is saying about flyweight?” Benavidez stated. “He’s out there representing flyweight and I want to fight him. That’s a whole other weird dynamic. I have a lot of respect for [Cejudo] and that’s another rivalry that could live on.”
Yup, you would certainly think that the flyweights who remain on the UFC roster are going to be cheering for Cejudo Saturday. Dana White has stopped short of saying that the 125 division is going to be axed for sure, and recently Benavidez reported he signed a new deal for flyweight fights. But, if Cejudo doesn’t defeat the bantamweight champ, one would think the chances of the flyweight division getting closed will rise significantly. Which, if you enjoy watching fast-paced, ridiculously technical MMA action, would be a very sad thing.
Benavidez, meanwhile, is scheduled to fight Dustin Ortiz at the event, which is also a pivotal bout at 125. In fact, the winner could advance to a title shot, provided the flyweight division remains. Benavidez faced Cejudo in 2016 and earned a split decision win over the Olympic Gold Medalist winner.
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