Henry Cejudo (Tentatively) Returns to Flyweight, Meets Chris Cariaso at UFC 185


(Henry Cejudo [right] roughs up Dustin Kimura during their fight at UFC on FOX 13. / Photo via Getty)

After winning his UFC debut at bantamweight last month, Henry Cejudo has decided to throw caution to the wind and return to flyweight for his next bout. The 2008 Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist will meet former flyweight title challenger Chris Cariaso at UFC 185: Pettis vs. Dos Anjos (March 14th, Dallas), according to UFC officials.

The 125-pound limit has not been Cejudo’s friend during his budding MMA career. A series of blown weigh-ins and sudden fight withdrawals culminated in him pulling out of his originally scheduled UFC flyweight debut at UFC 177 due to a bad weight cut. The UFC agreed to give Cejudo another chance at bantamweight, and he won a decision over Dustin Kimura at UFC on FOX 13 in December.

Which begs the question: Why mess with a good thing? Why not see how far you can get at bantamweight before putting your career and health at risk once again chasing 125? From what we can gather, Cejudo’s TKO win over flyweight super-jobber Miguelito Marti at Gladiator Challenge: American Dream in May 2013 was the only time that Cejudo has ever successfully made 125 pounds in an MMA fight. And now he’s going to try again, God help him, while taking a gigantic step up in competition against one of the top ten flyweights in the world. What?


(Henry Cejudo [right] roughs up Dustin Kimura during their fight at UFC on FOX 13. / Photo via Getty)

After winning his UFC debut at bantamweight last month, Henry Cejudo has decided to throw caution to the wind and return to flyweight for his next bout. The 2008 Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist will meet former flyweight title challenger Chris Cariaso at UFC 185: Pettis vs. Dos Anjos (March 14th, Dallas), according to UFC officials.

The 125-pound limit has not been Cejudo’s friend during his budding MMA career. A series of blown weigh-ins and sudden fight withdrawals culminated in him pulling out of his originally scheduled UFC flyweight debut at UFC 177 due to a bad weight cut. The UFC agreed to give Cejudo another chance at bantamweight, and he won a decision over Dustin Kimura at UFC on FOX 13 in December.

Which begs the question: Why mess with a good thing? Why not see how far you can get at bantamweight before putting your career and health at risk once again chasing 125? From what we can gather, Cejudo’s TKO win over flyweight super-jobber Miguelito Marti at Gladiator Challenge: American Dream in May 2013 was the only time that Cejudo has ever successfully made 125 pounds in an MMA fight. And now he’s going to try again, God help him, while taking a gigantic step up in competition against one of the top ten flyweights in the world. What?

Anyway, Chris Cariaso hasn’t competed since being submitted by Demetrious Johnson in the main event of UFC 178 last September, snapping a three-fight win streak for “Kamikaze.” UFC 185 will be headlined by a lightweight title fight, and will also feature a heavyweight smash-up between Alistair Overeem and Roy Nelson.