Joseph Benavidez Joins Urijah Faber and 6 others in UFC’s ‘loser list’

The day’s proceedings come to an end at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Fight night headliners Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo faced each other. The fight came to an end with the 32-year-old Brazilian flooring the top contender for the UFC Flyweight Championship belt. Championship Titles have eluded the 35-year-old American on multiple occasions. Twice against Demetrius Johnson and once against Dominick Cruz. Therefore Joseph Benavidez, unfortunately, makes it onto the list of fighters who are 0-3 in UFC title fights.

Read: UFC News: Deiveson Figueiredo Is Not Eligible to Win Flyweight Title Against Joseph Benavidez

Henry Cejudo relinquished the title in order to set up a title fight for Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo. Cejudo makes it very clear that he is giving up the title voluntarily and that the UFC is not stripping him of it. With the 135-pound belt still at his waist, Cejudo is looking to make a return to the octagon.

Future of Flyweight Division Murky

It was a nail-biting performance with a knockout that came in the second round. But the inability of Figueiredo to make weight means the 125-pound title is left vacant, yet again. Uncertainty looms over the title’s future in the UFC. There have been multiple reports stating that the organization is getting rid of the division.

“People didn’t care, I battled for a long time, I tried to keep it alive and obviously, it’s still going on now. We still have fights going on in that division, but we’ll see what the future holds for it.”- Dana White on the Flyweight Division after Demetrius Johnson’s departure. 

Henry Cejudo the former UFC Flyweight Champion blamed Demetrius Johnson for the shambolic state of their weight class. Johnson’s unwillingness to sell fights is why the division is in such a state, said Cejudo. White attributes the failure of the division to the fact that fans hardly gravitate to the division. White was very clear about the fact that fighters like Benavidez would still have a home in the UFC, even if the division is scrapped.

“Demetrious Johnson is the reason why our weight class is being exited.”- Henry Cejudo