Henry Cejudo expects T.J. Dillshaw fight, elimination of flyweight division

There have been rumblings about the future of the UFC men’s flyweight division that have gained momentum in recent days.

One of those is that the company is exploring the possibility of eliminating the division, a point which was underscored by the recent deal which sent former longtime flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson off to ONE Championship. The other is that the current UFC flyweight titleholder, Henry Cejudo — the man who defeated Johnson for the belt at UFC 227 — is expected to move up to bantamweight and fight champion T.J. Dillashaw next.

On Wednesday, Cejudo seemed to confirm both of these scenarios. Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience, Cejudo discussed the idea that the UFC is considering dropping his weight class and also that he is looking at challenging Dillashaw for the belt.

“I think more likely that T.J. fight might happen,” Cejudo told Rogan. “That T.J. fight might happen if they’re going to be done with the flyweight division. I think that cat’s out of the bag and Dana had mentioned that to me. He said, ‘Hey Cejudo, we’re going to take you up on that challenge for you to go up against T.J., but this is what the company has been thinking about for while.’”

Cejudo seems to be under the impression that Dillashaw still wants to attempt to come down to 125 pounds and try to become a two-weight-class champion, but for his part, Cejudo says he has no problem meeting the bantamweight champ at either weight for a bout which has been rumored for UFC 233 in Anaheim.

“I like both ideas,” Cejudo said. “I kind of left it off to him. I said, ‘I don’t know but I want to fight you.’ I want to fight T.J. and I want to go after the next best thing, and I think that’s him.

“Let’s do it at ‘25 or let’s do it at ‘35, but let’s fight, man,” Cejudo added. “I believe T.J. wants to fight me too.”

One thing Cejudo is sure of: You’re not going to see him hang on too long as so many others in his profession have done. Cejudo has already achieved his biggest goals by winning an Olympic gold medal in wrestling and claiming UFC gold, so anything accomplished after this point is gravy.

“I’ve accomplished everything I’ve ever wanted to in my career,” Cejudo said. “I had three goals. My number-one goal was just to be a good person, a good father, a good husband. And then after that was to be an Olympic champ and eventually a UFC champ. And I’ve done everything I’ve ever kinda set my mind to. Those were the two biggest things anyone could do. I don’t see myself fighting for [more than] maybe three or four years.”