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UFC Flyweights Announce Releases, Indicate the Division is Being Dismantled

Justin Scoggins
Justin Scoggins

Though the fight promotion itself has yet to acknowledge such, it appears that the UFC men’s flyweight division may be coming to an end.

There have been rumors swirling for months that the flyweight division was on its last legs, and after former divisional kingpin Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson was released from his contract for what was essentially the first blockbuster trade in mixed martial arts, the writing has been in big bold letters on the wall. Johnson moved over to ONE Championship, while the Singapore-based promotion released its former welterweight champion Ben Askren to fight for the UFC.

Current UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo has sounded more and more like a fight with him moving up to bantamweight to challenge 135-pound champion T.J. Dillashaw is looking more an more likely, and added that if it happens that it probably means the end for the flyweights.

“That T.J. fight might happen if they’re going to be done with the flyweight division. I think that cat’s out of the bag and Dana had mentioned that to me,” Cejudo said in an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show.

Adding to the nails that are being driven into the coffin was a recent social media post by flyweight Jose Torres, who stated that he had been released from his UFC contract and that he was only the first of many as they apparently dismantle the division.

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“I’m the first to be let go. I didn’t get to finish my UFC contract with two fights left because they are cutting most of my division and not giving some of us a chance to bump up and prove ourselves, like myself,” Torres wrote. “So now it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. Good luck small guys!”

A short time later, Justin Scoggins, also a 125-pounder, added that he had also been released.

“Looks like the UFC is dropping the flyweight division. I guess I’m a free agent...

I’m ready to keep fighting my ass off,” he wrote.

UFC officials have yet to make any public statement on the division or any of the fighters that have been released, but it's not looking good for the fighters in the men's 125-pound weight class.