Breaking: TJ Dillashaw will move DOWN in weight to challenge Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title at UFC 233 on Jan. 26 in Anaheim, per multiple sources.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 9, 2018
Dillashaw will try to become UFC’s sixth male two-weight champ. Full story coming to @ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4JsvfcR1lo
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With the departure of longtime flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to One Championship, the dismantling of the UFC's flyweight division appears to be in full swing, with numerous 125-pounders announcing either their release from the promotion, or their impending move to the bantamweight division. That being the case, Dillashaw's bid to become only the third champion in the brief history of the UFC 125-pound division appears to be a shot at the record books rather than any attempt to reign over two weight classes simultaneously.
Meanwhile, the position of Cejudo, who dethroned Johnson at UFC 227 in August, remains largely unchanged. "The Messenger," who has had a history of difficulty making the 125-pound flyweight limit, immediately called out the winner of the bantamweight title fight between Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt, who headlined that same card. Dillashaw agreed verbally to the matchup later that evening after defeating Garbrandt.
UFC 233 takes place Jan. 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. In addition to the Dillashaw-Cejudo fight, it features another bout with major implications for the bantamweight title picture, as former champion Dominick Cruz is scheduled to take on Brazilian slugger John Lineker, who has bounced back and forth between flyweight and bantamweight during his UFC career.
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