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5 of the best flyweight fights in MMA history

By Richard Ferraina

August 4, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Henry Cejudo is declared the winner by decision and is the new
August 4, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Henry Cejudo is declared the winner by decision and is the new / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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4. Joseph Benavidez vs. Henry Cejudo

Former title challengers at the time, Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo, coached The Ultimate Fighter 24: Tournament of Champions and faced off at the end of the season in the finale headlined by flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and TUF 24 winner Tim Elliott.

Benavidez was a former WEC fighter and fought for the inaugural flyweight championship and was unsuccessful in his first and second attempts against champion Johnson, but was riding a five-fight win streak. Olympic wrestler Cejudo was coming off a title fight loss against Johnson as well, and the two were paired up to coach TUF.

Cejudo and Benavidez did not like each other leading up to this fight and Cejudo opened the fight with intensity after losing his first fight to the champion Johnson. Cejudo dropped Benavidez early and kept the pace until the first round ended. The second round was more of the same, with Benavidez landing more strikes.

The fight ended with them both landing strikes as Cejudo would outstrike Benavidez by one and land the lone takedown of the fight, though Benavidez did land more significant strikes. The fight was a split-decision win for Benavidez with Cejudo being deducted a point in the first round for repeated low blows, and most likely would have ended in a draw otherwise, spoiling a great fight.

Benavidez would go 3-4 from there on out, losing in two more title fights and retiring in 2021 as one of the pioneers of the flyweight division. Cejudo wouldn't lose a fight after that and would build his resume as one of the greatest athletes ever.

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