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#7 Bantamweight
The title picture at 135lbs is blurry right now for a simple reason; reigning champion TJ Dillashaw is set to drop to 125lbs to challenge Henry Cejudo for the Flyweight title on ESPN+ on 01/19. It should be a great fight, but given the rumours of the death of the 125lbs division, quite why Dillashaw is moving down rather than Cejudo moving up is anyone’s guess. It simply doesn’t make sense in my opinion.
The UFC has booked a potential #1 contender’s match at 135lbs though, as Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes face off in the headliner of the ESPN+ card on 02/02. The pair fought back in 2017 with Assuncao winning a questionable decision, but since then Moraes has defeated John Dodson, Aljamain Sterling and Jimmie Rivera. Realistically, he should already have a title shot were it not for the Cejudo/Dillashaw fight.
Outside of that, 02/17 sees Sterling and Rivera face off on ESPN in what should be a key fight in the division. Both men are ranked in the top ten of the division and a win for either would propel them forward deep into the title picture. #6 ranked John Lineker was also supposed to fight Dominick Cruz in what would’ve been a huge fight on 01/19, but with Cruz injured, he’s now set to face prospect Cory Sandhagen instead in a match which likely won’t impact a lot.
The likes of Dodson, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font are awaiting their next fights, while the whole division could also be shaken up by the arrival of former 125lbers like Joseph Benavidez, Deiveson Figueiredo and Said Nurmagomedov.
