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UFC Fight Night 78 Results: Henry Cejudo Wins, Ready to Add UFC Gold to Olympic Gold
There was a lot on the line when Jussier Formiga and Henry Cejudo stepped into the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 78 on Saturday night in Monterrey, Mexico.
Formiga came into the fight with an 18-3 record and riding a three-fight winning streak, sitting at No. 3 in the official UFC flyweight rankings. Cejudo, an Olympic Gold Medalist, was close behind him, ranked No. 5 with a spotless 9-0 record in tow.
The winner of the fight makes a solid case for the next shot at Demetrious Johnson’s flyweight belt.
And that winner, after three rounds of back-and-forth action, would be Cejudo, who was one step ahead of Formiga for the majority of the bout.
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Although Cejudo frequently takes his opponents to the mat, he played a different game with Formiga, who is a dangerous grappler in his own right, owning black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and judo. The former Olympian stayed on his feet for almost the entirety of the fight, outdueling Formiga with a strong clinch game and sharper boxing.
Following a slow start, Cejudo started to show his strategy midway into the opening frame, clinching and landing hard knees to the body. Cejudo landed a hard right hand late in the round that put Formiga on one knee briefly, and then put a stamp on the opener with a takedown in the final seconds.
The second round was Formiga’s best. Although Cejudo started strong, again edging ahead in the clinch, Formiga battled back and looked to be landing more cleanly in the latter half of the frame. It was a close round though and at least two of the three judges still scored it for Cejudo.
The final frame saw the momentum swing clearly back to Cejudo’s favor. He stuck with the game plan, continuing to clinch with Formiga and then get the better of him with a more frequent barrage of knees in the clinch, and elbows on the break.
Formiga tried to employ his judo several times in the third round, but Cejudo blocked all f his attempts at trips and throws.
Cejudo kept pushing the pace, outgunning Formiga to the final bell, and it paid off with a split decision falling in his favor.
Without another clear contender ahead of him, Cejudo believes that he has to be the next in line for a title shot after defeating Formiga. But he also knows that there is a reason that Johnson has been successful in all seven of his title defenses to date.
“I think with Demetrious, he’s somebody that I have to display every art that I have. And I haven’t really (done that) in the UFC. I’ve really just been standing up with guys,” said Cejudo.
“I think with somebody of his caliber, I’m gonna have to use every tool and weapon that I have. And I do believe I’m the next in line to get the shot. I mean, who else is next?”
