T.J. Dillashaw Claims He’s Being Paid to ‘Kill’ the Flyweight Division
T.J. Dillashaw is ready to kill off the UFC flyweight division.
That’s the word from the reigning bantamweight champion, who will drop down to 125 pounds to face current flyweight king Henry Cejudo at UFC 233 on Jan. 26 in Anaheim.
Rumors have been swirling for more than a week that the UFC was moving towards the elimination of the flyweight division and now Dillashaw asserts that’s exactly why he’s moving down to 125 pounds in January.
He’s being hired as a paid assassin to move to flyweight, win the title and then watch the division disappear.
“The UFC wants to get rid of the division and they hired me to go down and close it and get another belt in the process,” Dillashaw told ESPN.
“It’s a win-win for me. They’re paying me a f–k-load of money to move down and kill the 125-pound division and collect a second belt. So, it’s game time.”
Dillashaw began pushing for a flyweight title shot almost immediately after retaining his bantamweight title in August with a knockout win over former champion Cody Garbrandt.
Dillashaw attempted to drop down to 125 pounds two years ago when he was offered an opportunity to face then flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson when he was in need of an opponent.
The fight never came together but Dillashaw never forgot about his desire to become a two-weight world champion while holding both title simultaneously. Now he’ll get his opportunity and Dillashaw says after he wins, there’s really no reason for the UFC to keep the flyweight division around anyways.
“It seems like I’m gonna take it over, man,” Dillashaw stated. “I mean, if I’m the champ in both weight classes, why even have it? All the attention is at 135 anyway so at the end of the day, make the guys that they believe should stick around, come up and challenge for the belt.”
As of now, the UFC has made no official announcement regarding the future of the flyweight division outside of releasing several fighters last week who claimed the weight class was on borrowed time.
What we know for certain is the flyweight title will be defended at least one more time at UFC 233 when Dillashaw faces Cejudo on Jan. 26.
