Former Title Contender: TJ Dillashaw vs. Cejudo ‘Good Way To Keep Two Champions Busy’

Dan Hardy believes T.J. Dillashaw vs. Henry Cejudo is matchmaking at its finest. That’s because it kills two birds with one stone.

Hardy, a former welterweight title challenger, thinks the UFC paired Dillashaw and Cejudo together knowing that no matter the outcome, the promotion would be in an ideal position.

Clever Matchmaking

“I really think this is a fight out of necessity,” Hardy told MMAJunkie. “Dillashaw is in a division where we don’t want to see another fight with Cody Garbrandt right now. Dominick Cruz is injured. And all the emerging talent has not quite yet emerged.

“With Cejudo, you’ve got someone who’s just beaten a long-time champion, can’t get a rematch with that champion and, the only other fight for him at flyweight is Joseph Benavidez, who had a couple of cracks at Johnson and lost but did beat Cejudo. That rematch does make sense. Which is probably why Benavidez – against Dustin Ortiz – is on the card.

“This fight is a good way to keep two champions busy. Make one of them look like a superstar and then, you deal with the aftermath, regardless of what happens. Ultimately, they are going to be able to make good fights out of this.”

Hardy Speculates On The Outcome

If Dillashaw beats Cejudo and joins Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, and Amanda Nunes as the only “double champs” the UFC has ever seen, it would make the decision to abolish the 125-pound division a lot easier for Dana White and company.

Still, if Cejudo defends the flyweight title this Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, it will be a validation according to Hardy.

“You have Henry Cejudo, who needs validating as a champion. Because he’s not getting that rematch with Demetrious Johnson. Or they’re just going to close the division down because T.J. has run down, stolen the gold and gone back up.

“If T.J. goes down and wins the belt, then goes back to defend at bantamweight and loses the belt, the UFC have a new champion who has just beaten the champ-champ. Sometimes, you’ve just got to flow with combat sports. If you try and control it too much, you’re just going to get tripped up.”