[ARCHIVES] Joseph Benavidez Makes Personal Appeal to Henry Cejudo

[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 23, 2019, 12:28 PM]

Perhaps no one has been more vocal about the future of the flyweight division than the man who has been competing in it since its inception, current #2 contender Joseph Benavidez.

Thus, with there still being no official word on the future of the division, Benavidez took to Instagram with the hopes of forming an unlikely ally to band together to help save the flyweight division: former opponent and current flyweight champion Henry Cejudo.

View this post on Instagram

No matter what was said between us before this battle I gained so much respect for Henry after our fight! Watching his performances and seeing what he’s done for this division (the one that I’ve been fighting for since it’s beginning) I have only gained more respect! Henry – other weight classes will be there but ours is still not certain. We have the power now more then ever to keep it moving forward and bring the respect it/we deserve! We represented for the flyweights that whole TUF season and delivered in our fight! (One of the hardest of my life and I know you feel the same) and we also did that on Saturday in Brooklyn! I want that belt, I was the first person to ever fight for that belt and I know the competitor in you wants to try to avenge the loss to me on your record! But like you said it is bigger then us … if you believe that to be true then this is the only option to keep this division moving forward, for all the current contenders, up and comers and the thousands dreaming right now of becoming the UFC Flyweight Champion. @henry_cejudo

A post shared by Joseph Benavidez (@joejitsu) on Jan 21, 2019 at 4:18pm PST

“We have the power now more then ever to keep it moving forward and bring the respect it/we deserve!” Benavidez wrote. “We represented for the flyweights that whole TUF season and delivered in our fight! (One of the hardest of my life and I know you feel the same) and we also did that on Saturday in Brooklyn! I want that belt, I was the first person to ever fight for that belt and I know the competitor in you wants to try to avenge the loss to me on your record!”

At UFC Brooklyn, both Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo were victorious. Joseph Benavidez earned a unanimous decision victory over Dustin Ortiz and Henry Cejudo logged his first flyweight title defense. Now, if the division is to continue, there is only one natural progression, Benavidez argues.

“But like you said it is bigger then us … if you believe that to be true then this is the only option to keep this division moving forward, for all the current contenders, up and comers and the thousands dreaming right now of becoming the UFC Flyweight Champion. @henry_cejudo”

In their first bout 13 months ago, Joseph Benavidez got the better of Henry Cejudo in a razor-close split decision in a fight where Henry Cejudo found himself deducted one point in the first round for consecutive low blows.

Henry Cejudo was able to avenge his other loss to Demetrious Johnson last year by becoming the second UFC flyweight champion of all time, and Benavidez is dangling the idea of avenging his other loss in front of his face for the larger good of keeping the flyweight division moving and therefore alive.

Do you believe Henry Cejudo will face Joseph Benavidez next? Or will it be T.J. Dillashaw in a rematch from UFC Brooklyn?

Continue Reading [ARCHIVES] Joseph Benavidez Makes Personal Appeal to Henry Cejudo at MMA News.