UFC officially announces T.J. Dillashaw vs Henry Cejudo for flyweight title at UFC 233
In what could be the final flyweight title fight in UFC history, the UFC announced that current bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw will face Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title at UFC 233 in January. With many rumors going around that the UFC will be getting rid of the flyweight division, the promotion has decided to give the bantamweight champion a chance at history while Cejudo looks to defend his title for the first time.
🏆 vs 🏆@HenryCejudo defends the flyweight belt against bantamweight champ @TJDillashaw at #UFC233 in Anaheim at the @HondaCenter!
🎟 ➡️ Dec. 7 pic.twitter.com/QCFj6NoFFA
— UFC (@ufc) November 27, 2018
Cejudo defeated former long-reigning champion Demetrious Johnson at UFC 227 in August of 2018 and put an end to Johnson’s UFC record of most title defenses. In what was a rematch from their first fight at UFC 197 where Johnson defeated Cejudo with a first-round TKO, Cejudo got his revenge on Johnson by earning a split-decision victory over Johnson to claim the flyweight title.
On the same night that Cejudo defeated Johnson, Dillashaw defended his bantamweight title against his rival Cody Garbrandt when he finished Garbrandt with a first-round TKO. Already have become a two-time bantamweight champion, Dillashaw now has an opportunity to become the third fighter to simultaneously hold two belts in two separate weight classes.
While there are plenty of bantamweight contenders waiting in line for Dillashaw, the opportunity for him to become a two-weight world champion could only help elevate his star power as well as add to his legacy which would place him among one of the greatest ever to fight in the UFC.
After losing the belt to Cejudo, Demetrius Johnson was a part of the UFC’s first ever trade in the promotion’s history when he was sent to ONE FC in exchange for undefeated Ben Askren. Askren had a long-standing feud with UFC President Dana White but it seems that both have put their past to rest and Askren is now part of the UFC’s welterweight division.
With no true contenders awaiting him at the flyweight division, Cejudo welcomes the challenge of T.J. Dillashaw looking to make history as a two-weight world champion. Not only will Cejudo look to defend his title but he will also look to defend his flyweight division, with the rumors of a possible dismantling of 125 pounds.
UFC 233 takes place on January 26, 2019 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California and tickets for the event UFC will go on sale December 7, 2018.
