flyweight division ufc

Just two wins and two years later, though, Cejudo would earn a nip-tuck decision over Johnson to win the belt, which he successfully defended one time against TJ Dillashaw before moving up to bantamweight. Borg earned back-to-back Performance of the Night bonuses heading into his bout with Geane Herrera at Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Saint Preux back on August 8 in Nashville, Tennessee, then added another quality name to his resume by outworking his opponent en route to the unanimous decision victory on the judges’ scorecards.Check out some of the best kimura finishes in UFC history, featuring legends like Khabib Nurmagomedov,  By Duane Finley Two wins out of the gate at flyweight put Dodson in position to face Johnson for the divisional crown and their paths collided in Chicago in January of 2013.The reason this fight stands out in the careers of both men is largely due to the back and forth nature of the bout. It may be one of the youngest collectives under the UFC banner, but the flyweight division is starting to shape into a highly competitive outfit with perennial title threats lurking in its ranks, all of which are aiming at dethrone long-reigning king and pound-for-pound-ranked Demetrious Johnson, who has stood for the past three years as the first and only champion of the 125-pound fold. But there was one fight in that mix that worked out in a different fashion than the rest.When the 29-year-old champion stepped into the Octagon to face The Ultimate Fighter season 14 winner John Dodson, he did so looking to make his first successful defense of the flyweight strap. “The TazMexican Devil” may have been turned back by Ortiz in his promotional debut, but impressive victories in his three showings since have built the FITNHB representative into a fighter to watch.

Yet, where running through the elite tier of a division that is still taking shape would put most weight classes in jeopardy of being cleaned out of potential contenders, the flyweight picture is hitting a different type of stride.In addition to the established and proven names on the roster, a wave of young talent has started their push to break through to the next level of competition at 125 pounds. Both men want another go at the flyweight title, and their upcoming matchup undoubtedly holds a good amount of clout as to who will rise and fall in the quest to bring their goal to fruition.While the aforementioned bouts hold a large amount of sway on the immediate path of the flyweight title picture, there are a handful of fighters on the verge of breaking through who could very well become major players in the coming year.Both Jussier Formiga and Henry Cejudo will bring the momentum of three consecutive victories into their bout at The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 2 Finale on November 21. • Aug. 29, 2015 The main event title tilt has very clear storylines. Cody Garbrandt is set to move down to the flyweight division and take on champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 255 on Nov. 21.A few flyweight contenders were waiting to … One is a champion who is on the verge of being recognized as the pound-for-pound best in the sport and looking to cement his legacy as one of the greatest champions in UFC history by leveling his biggest threat, and the other is a fighter who has long envisioned himself as the best 125-pound fighter on the planet who is looking to finish a job he nearly completed the first time around.There is also no love lost between Johnson and Dodson, and all of those factors will combine to make their rematch a “can’t miss” scrap.When it comes to a conversation about title contention in the flyweight division, there is no way not to include Joseph Benavidez.The New Mexico product has held his status among the best of the best at 125 since the division’s inception back in 2012. While Bagautinov certainly showed his toughness throughout the 25-minute affair, he had little to offer in the offense department as Johnson brought the fight to the challenger each round at an increasingly more rapid pace than the frame prior. Outside of a misstep against Borg in 2017, Formiga has only ever lost in the UFC to other fighters on this list. Men do not fight in the Strawweight division but compete in all eight other categories. Some still hold on to hope for the UFC flyweight division. And even though he did so by way of a decision that many fans still dispute, that accomplishment alone is enough to make him the second-best UFC flyweight ever.An Olympic wrestling champion (have you heard? However, the overall strength of competition and the quality of wins makes him deserving. The Jackson/Winkeljohn product dropped the champion with big shots in the early stages of their match and appeared to be on his way to becoming the new flyweight champion before Johnson tapped into his resilience and pulled off a strong comeback in the second half of the fight. Bagautinov would see his 11-fight winning streak brought to a halt by Johnson at UFC 174 in Vancouver, abd the setback was amplified by a failed post-fight drug test that forced the scrappy Russian to the sidelines for one year.There is no doubt that Bagautinov is eager to get back into the hunt for another title shot, and Benavidez is the perfect opponent to put a charge into that quest. Cejudo also holds wins over divisional stalwarts Sergio Pettis, Wilson Reis, and Win or lose against Figueiredo, Benavidez has already solidified his status as one of the best flyweight fighters of all time.Outside of the two losses to Johnson, Dodson holds stoppage victories over Moraga, Darrell Montague, and Formiga, leaving his mark as one of the most dangerous finishers the flyweight division has seen.Formiga is the only fighter on this list to never challenge Johnson for the title. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)In light of the Benavidez-Figueiredo title clash, below are the five best flyweight fighters in UFC history based on their accomplishments in the division in the UFC.What made Johnson’s run so incredible was not only the time he stayed on top but the way he did it.