Henry Cejudo believes he is fighting for the entire flyweight division
Henry Cejudo is fighting for more than his belt on Saturday night. When he takes on bantamweight champion, T.J. Dillashaw, Cejudo is also fighting for the flyweight division.
It has been reported that the flyweight division is closing. However, Cejudo believes if he can defeat Dillashaw on Saturday, he will be able to keep the division around. For him, that is more important than retaining the belt.
“I’m here fighting for the fighters, for all the little guys, all the guys that have kids, have families, that still have hopes of becoming a world champ,” Cejudo told FloCombat. “It’s not just for me. It’s for all the flyweights, all their families, all their kids, I’m trying to employ people here.
“I believe the UFC is sending down T.J. Dillashaw, they are sending down the hitman to try and take out ‘The Messenger’ but there’s a reason why Henry Cejudo’s nickname is ‘The Messenger.’ I couldn’t ask for a better fairytale. I couldn’t ask for a better storyline.”
Ultimately, since the flyweight division was announced in 2011 it was a new venture for the sport. However, Demetrious Johnson dominated the division and never became a star. That, along with their size was a major reason why the flyweights weren’t a draw. Cejudo is hoping to change that on Saturday. He wants to be the star of the flyweight division and keep the division around.
Dillashaw has said the UFC paid him a lot of money to kill the flyweight division, and if he wins, that may very well be the case. Really, it is up to Cejudo if he will be able to continue to fight at flyweight after this fight and if flyweights will remain in the UFC.
“I am going to resurrect the flyweight division,” Cejudo said. “I’m going to be looking through those snake eyes and I’m going to let him know he’s messing with ‘The Messenger.’ He’s messing with something much bigger than the fight. He’s messing with the flyweight division.
“We are going to make the flyweight division great again.”
The fight on Saturday is for more than the belt for Cejudo, it is for the entire division.
