UFC Brooklyn -- and UFC's debut on the ESPN family of networks finally has a main event. With that being said, UFC 233 gets way thinner.
A curious Flyweight Championship bout between champion Henry Cejudo (13-2) and Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw (16-3) was booked for UFC 233 on January 26, but has been moved to the Brooklyn card just one week prior. The fight will serve as the first main event of the ESPN/UFC era, as the two will begin their partnership.
The fight being booked was odd as is, considering the UFC is pretty clearly doing away with the 125 pound division after orchestrating a trade that sent former champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson to ONE Championship. The move set off a chain of events that saw several Flyweights cut from the UFC, including ones who were open to and had competed at 135 pounds.
Cejudo defeated Johnson in a close decision back in August, while Dillashaw knocked out Cody Garbrandt in successfully defending his title on the same card, UFC 227.. Dana White stated last month that the UFC made this fight because Dillashaw hoped to become a two division champion, despite never having competed at 125 pounds before.
As reported earlier, also moved from UFC 233 to UFC Brooklyn is #11 Women's Flyweight Joanne Calderwood (12-3) taking on Ariane Lipski. Calderwood halted a two-fight losing streak by defeating Kalindra Faria in quick fashion in August, while Lipski will be making her UFC debut after Maryna Moroz was pulled from a planned bout last month against her at UFC Argentina.
All of this begs the question -- what will be UFC 233's main event? The show is going head to head with a stacked Bellator card on WWE Royal Rumble weekend, and doesn't have a main event announced. Dan Lambert exclusively told Fightful weeks ago that the UFC was targeting UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley vs. Interim Champion Colby Covington for the card.
UFC Brooklyn takes place January 19 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Fightful will have full, live coverage of the show, which airs on ESPN and ESPN+
