Henry Cejudo managed to edge out longtime flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson on the scorecards in a shocking upset.
The UFC’s flyweight division has a new king, ladies and gentlemen.
When Henry Cejudo first went toe-to-toe with Demetrious Johnson at UFC 197, he did so after just three years experience in pro-MMA and just under a year-and-a-half inside the UFC.
It really was a case of too-much, too-soon for the prospect and after being swiftly dismantled in the first-round, he was sent back to the drawing board.
Over the next two years, we really started to see some progress in his overall game and when he stepped into the octagon at UFC 227 to rematch the champ, he certainly had grown and developed from the fighter he was back in 2016.
Disaster almost struck early again as Henry’s ankle seemed to give out on him twice in the opening round but after overcoming that scare, he was able to compose himself and inflict his gameplan on his opponent.
Cejudo gets the champ down for a moment, but DJ rolls out of it and gets back to his feet! #UFC227 pic.twitter.com/oGaQc6FMjz
— UFC (@ufc) August 5, 2018
It was the Olympic-level wrestling of Cejudo that was the difference overall. On the feet, DJ was landing more frequently but ‘The Messenger’ connected with the harder shots.
On several occasions, though, close rounds boiled down to the newly-crowned champ’s ability to secure takedowns. He came into this matchup looking like he had added a bit of bulk to his frame and you could really see it.
The judges awarded a split decision, and while it was a very, very close affair, fights like these can go either way.
In the end, a fresh champion was crowned in perhaps the UFC’s most under-appreciated division and after what seems like an eternity, Demetrious Johnson’s legendary title-run has come to an end.
Cillian Cunningham, Pundit Arena
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