The flyweights came out in hoards last night (Sat., Dec. 3, 2016) at TUF 24 Finale live on FOX Sports 1 from inside Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, as former title challengers Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo battled it out in the co-main event before divisional champion Demetrious Johnson met Tim Elliott in the headliner.
In just a matters of minutes, it was evident that Cejudo’s striking had improved immensely. The Olympic wrestler threw heavy shots in the early going, knocking Benavidez down and making him pay with every counter. Unfortunately, Cejudo was deducted one point after hitting Benavidez below the belt twice in just two minutes of action. Benavidez would close the distance and dictate the offensive exchanges in Round 2 with his speed and in-and-out combinations, while Cejudo scored valuable points in Round 3 with counter right hooks and consistent Octagon control. In the end, it was Benavidez’s volume striking that earned him the split-decision win.
The full video highlights can be seen above courtesy of UFC.
With this victory, Benavidez extends his divisional win streak to six since losing to Johnson for the second time back in 2013. Even though the 32-year-old has no leg to stand on against “Mighty Mouse,” a depleted division may lead to a trilogy fight early next year.
For complete TUF 24 Finale results and coverage click here.
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