UFC president Dana White has finally revealed who will challenge No. 1 contender Marlon Moraes for the vacant 135-pound bantamweight title — current flyweight champion Henry Cejudo.
Speaking on the ESPN+ post-fight show for UFC Nashville, White laid out his plans for the promotion's flyweight and bantamweight divisions, which were thrown into upheaval following the T.J. Dillashaw failed USADA drug test.
“I now have a plan. I didn’t have a plan before, but I now have a plan,” White assured. “It looks like we’re going to do the Moraes-Cejudo fight. They both want that fight really bad, seems like a good fight to make with the whole Dillashaw thing now. And then you do him (Jussier Formiga) versus (Joseph) Benavidez on the same card. Anything goes wrong, one of them can step up and take the fight, and then the winner of that fight is the guaranteed No. 1 contender for the next shot.”
Henry Cejudo shocked the MMA world in January when he defended the UFC flyweight belt against then-bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, who was making his debut in the 125-pound division. Cejudo needed just 32 seconds to defeat Dillashaw by TKO. It was Cejudo's first career title defense and a future rematch with Dillashaw seemed inevitable until Dillashaw was flagged by USADA and relinquished the 135-pound strap.
Marlon Moraes is undoubtedly deserving of a title shot, riding a four-fight win streak against opponents Raphael Assuncao, Jimmie Rivera, Aljamain Sterling, and John Dodson.
As for the flyweight division, the plan is to have Jussier Formiga in a number one contender bout with Joseph Benavidez next. The winner of that fight would then face Cejudo for the 125-pound belt.
Dates for these fights have not yet been formally announced, but what do you think of Dana White's plan thus far?