State of The UFC Flyweight Division
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With limited challenges left, Alexandre Pantoja has set his sights on potential opponents outside the UFC. After UFC 310, he even calling out retired flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson. Former flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo, has expressed interest in a possible rematch. He is willing to move back down to flyweight if needed. While both would be exciting matchups, UFC fans might look at this with great concern for the flyweight division.
Kai Asakura was signed from RIZIN to inject some interest in the division. But, he was outclassed against Pantoja when the two met in the middle of the octagon. Although the division is stacked with talent like, Brandon Moreno, there doesn’t seem to be any challengers for the title. That is because Pantoja has beaten most of them on his climb to the top.
A Division Plagued With Uncertainty
Let’s rewind to August 2018. Henry Cejudo captured the flyweight title from Demetrious Johnson, who was defending the belt for a record 11th time. Cejudo went on to defend the title once before moving up to bantamweight. Around this time, the UFC seriously considered shutting down the flyweight division. Adding to the uncertainty, the promotion later traded their most accomplished flyweight, Demetrious Johnson, to ONE Championship. In exchange, UFC received former welterweight champion, Ben Askren.
The division would survive, due to an influx of young talent like, Pantoja, Figueiredo, Moreno, Kai Kara-France, and Brandon Royval to name a few. Today, it’s currently stacked with guys that are fast and very skillful. But once again, the problem is the champion has fought all challengers on his quest to get the title. Can we be mad at rematches if the first fight was competitive? The answer should be no. Even Demetrious Johnson had four rematches during his run in the flyweight division.
Time To Recruit
The UFC can strengthen the flyweight division by scouting the regional scene for rising talent and uncovering potential diamonds in the rough. Many fighters who became UFC stars have emerged from promotions like LFA. While this approach may take time, the organization can rely on the seasoned veterans currently in the division to help maintain momentum and push the 125-pound weight class forward.
The division is full of ability, both veterans and upstarts. Steve Erceg leads the group of them that include Charles Johnson, the talkative Manel Kape, Tatsuro Taira and Amir Albazi. Scouting regional talent could also build depth within the division.
Here’s a little-known secret: The flyweight division has long been a favorite among MMA fans. However, it’s hard to ignore the two-year stretch when the title repeatedly changed hands between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno. It caused the division to feel somewhat stagnant. Yet, during their epic four-fight saga, a new era quietly began to take shape. In due time, we’ll see if it was enough for the flyweight division to regain its momentum.
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