Dana White recently confirmed that the UFC would be introducing a long awaited flyweight division in 2012. It wasn’t so long ago that the promotion didn’t feature any fighters lower than 170 lbs, but times have changed, and the increase in the frequency of shows means the roster needs to be deeper than ever.
First the lightweight division was brought back, then the featherweights and bantamweights were drafted in from the WEC and finally in 2012 it will be the turn of the flyweights to feature in the Octagon.
Introducing a 125 lbs division will not be straightforward, though, as flyweights are few and far between, and only a handful of them are likely to be American. A number of 135 lbs fighters, notably Demetrious Johnson, are likely to make the drop, meaning that the UFC will be in urgent need of an injection of new talent at bantamweight too.
Whereas the higher weight classes tend to consist of a high proportion of American fighters, the UFC will have to look further afield to find talent at 135 and 125 lbs. The good news is that there is no shortage of fighters at these weight classes in Asia, and this is my guide to a few who might be attracting the attention of the UFC matchmakers.