With UFC trading away longtime flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to One Championship, the company is getting ready to do away with the entire division altogether.
According to FloCombat, the company is going to dissolve the flyweight division and that such a move could be made by the of 2018. Below is the initial tweet from FloCombat.
BREAKING: We're hearing the #UFC men's flyweight division is 100% being dissolved, likely done by the end of 2018.
— FloCombat (@FloCombat) November 7, 2018
THE KICKER: Not all flyweights are being asked to move up to bantamweight. They're just getting cut. Unreal.
We'll update you as we receive more info.
As for the fates of the flyweights currently signed by UFC, the report also states that some of the flyweights won't just be asked to go up in weight to bantamweight, but have their UFC contracts terminated. The first flyweight to be cut is Jose Torres, who revealed on Twitter that he has been released from UFC despite having two fights left in the deal. Torres said in the video, which can be seen below, that the FloCombat report is true, but appreciates the opportunities given by the company.
Im the 1st to be let go. I didnt get to finish my UFC contract with 2 fights left because they are cutting most of my division n not giving some of us a chance to bump up n prove ourselves like myself. So now it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. Good luck small guys! pic.twitter.com/lUMijsRoDm
— Jose Shorty Torres (@ShortyTorres125) November 7, 2018
The current UFC flyweight champion is Henry Cejudo, who defeated Johnson by split decision at UFC 227 this past August. The loss snapped Johnson's record-setting title reign which saw him break the record for most consecutive UFC title defenses.
In October, Johnson was traded away to One Championship in exchange for Ben Askren, who is set to make his UFC debut against Robbie Lawler at UFC 233 in January 26, 2019. The UFC flyweight division started in 2012 with a four-man tournament to crown an inaugural champion. Johnson would go on to win the tournament by defeating Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152.
