TJ Dillashaw’s cut down to 125 pounds has been the hot topic over recent weeks, especially after photos of “Viper” looking rather thin surfaced online. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight king will drop down to fight Flyweight champion Hnery Cejudo at this weekend’s (sat., Jan, 19, 2019) UFC on ESPN_1 on in Brooklyn, N.Y., but making the weight, it seems, is a battle in and of itself.
And while Dillashaw’s camp is confident everything is going great, Cejudo doesn’t seem to agree, saying that the cut will take a toll on TJ and the pictures simply aren’t lying.
“Personally, I think he looks like Pee-wee Herman if you ask me,” Cejudo said of Dillashaw on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour via MMA Fighting. “In the physique way, I really do feel like he looks like Pee-wee Herman. … I thought he’d have a little more bulk to him, but I guess not. He’s not looking so well. It looks like he needs a cup of water. He looks like a cross country runner,” he added.
Cejudo’s head trainer recently stated that should TJ miss weight, he should have to put up his 135-pound strap to give Henry the chance to win another belt. To hear “The Messenger” tell it, though, he plans of fighting regardless if Dillashaw makes weight or not.
“Whether he makes weight or not, we’re fighting Saturday night, so he can do whatever he wants to do. But anybody could say they could make weight. If you’ve never cut weight [to 125 pounds] — I know what it feels like to make that weight, any true flyweight knows exactly what it feels like to cut an extra 10 pounds. He’s going to feel it Saturday night, and I’m looking to expose him,” he added.
Indeed, Cejudo, a natural 125-pounder, will have the advantage of being at full strength and fighting at his own division come fight night, which could prove disastrous for “Viper.” And if the Olympic gold medalist has his way, he plans on making an example out of the 135-pound champ.
“I’m locked in, cocked in, whatever you want to call it. This dude is going to get it. He’s messing with my division. He’s trying to take my belt. He’s trying to snatch my dream. T.J. Dillashaw is going to be my perfect example,” Cejudo continued while saying being “champ-champ” is great, it doesn’t compare to being the one and only fighter to hold and Olympic gold medal and UFC title.
“A lot of people are talking about, ‘Oh, I’m the champ champ. I got two belts. Blah, blah, blah.’ I just want to let you guys know that T.J. is fighting the champ champ. He’s fighting the Olympic champ and the current UFC flyweight champ that beat the greatest fighter of all-time, and I’m the champ champ,” said a fired up Henry.
“Just FYI, I’m the true definition of champion. I’m the Olympic champ, UFC champ. I’m one of one. Nobody in the UFC could ever say that. Nobody in the history of the world could ever say that. I’m the true champ champ. I want you to put this title: ‘The real champ champ, Henry Cejudo, one of one.”
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