Yahoo Finance Report: Henry Cejudo to vacate flyweight title, setting up Benavidez-Figueiredo title fight in February
Henry Cejudo’s belt is back up for grabs.
Cejudo is planning to relinquish his 125-pound flyweight title belt, setting up a championship bout between Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo in February, according to MMA Junkie.
Benavidez has won three straight heading into his title match with Figueiredo, having last knocked out Jussier Formiga in two rounds in June. He beat Dustin Ortiz by unanimous decision in January, and knocked Alex Perez out in the first round last November.
Figueiredo, who has lost just once in his career, is fresh off a first-round win over Tim Elliott at UFC Tampa in October. He beat Alexandre Patoja by decision at UFC 240 in July, too, bouncing back from his first career loss in March to Formiga.
The pair will step into the Octagon on Feb. 29 at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
While he won’t contest his flyweight title, Cejudo will continue on as the bantamweight champion. He has won five straight dating back to 2017, most recently knocking out Marlon Moraes in June at UFC 238. He underwent shoulder surgery after that bout, however, and isn’t expected to compete in the Octagon until sometime next year.
While initial reports said Cejudo’s belt was being stripped from him, the 32-year-old insists he is giving it up voluntarily.
“No, I am not being stripped,” Cejudo said, via MMA Junkie. “I am relinquishing my title. Correction! ‘Triple C’ is relinquishing his title to these wannabe, so-called flyweight kingpins. That’s what’s going on. I’m relinquishing my belt. Being stripped is not what I’m doing. I’m relinquishing, and you can tell them all to bend the knee.”
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