After an exceptionally close co-main event fight at the TUF 24 Finale thise evening, Joseph Benavidez retained his status as the No.1 contender at 125lbs with a split decision win over Henry Cejudo.
Round One:
Both flyweights missing with kicks to start. Push kick for Benavidez. Both men trade punches in close. Right hand gets through for Benavidez.
Another exchange and this time it’s Cejudo who lands and for a split second it drops Benavidez, but he’s right back up and seems ok.
Benavidez with a punch as he looks to settle into the fight again. Cejudo looking aggressive and confident here and he lands a hard body kick that knocks Benavidez off-balance for a moment. Soon after an accidental groin strike from Cejudo forces a brief stoppage.
Back to it they go back to trading strikes. Benavidez looking for kicks, while Cejudo is trying to counter those with punches. Another kick from Cejudo lands to Benavidez groin forcing another stoppage, and after that he’s given time to recover, Cejudo is deducted a point for the illegal blow. That’s a big moment in the fight.
More fiery exchanges in close as they get get back to it. They are getting so into it that they actually accidently clash heads, but thankfully both are ok.
Cejudo takes Benavidez down, but he almost immediately pops back up. Cejudo with a body punch. Leg kick for Benavidez. Bit of a wild, winging punch from Benavidez, but soon after he times a nice knee strike to the body.
Punch and then a kick upstairs from Benavidez lands solidly. Cejudo tries for a takedown, but it’s stuffed.
Benavidez charges forward and eats a body kick from Cejudo. Head kick for Benavidez, but Cejudo catches his limb and runs him across the cage.
Leg kicks for Benavidez and that’ll do it for a high-octane first round.
Round Two:
Cejudo unleashes punches aggressively to start the second round. Leg kick for Benavidez and a counter punch in return from Cejudo.
Benavidez almost connects with another head kick. Body kick for Cejudo. Both men throw at the same time and it’s Benavidez’s right hand that gets through.
Wheel kick attempt from Benavidez misses. Couple of uppercuts for Cejudo and a solid knee upstairs soon after that bloodies Benavidez’s lip.
Reaching right hand from Benavidez. Benavidez with a leg kick then a couple of punches upstairs. He’s found his rhythm more in the second round, with Cejudo not quite as aggressive now as he was in the first round.
Benavidez continuing to use movement and darts in and out with brief striking flurries. Cejudo starts to work a few kicks. He reaches for a takedown, but it’s shrugged off and he just misses with a head kick attempt afterwards.
Benavidez with a two-piece combo that’s blocked. Cejudo steps into a nice left hook. He connects with the body kick. Benavidez with a couple of his own.
Punches from Benavidez and a body kick for Cejudo. Another body kick for Cejudo to end the round.
Round Three:
Solid body punch for Cejudo. Now a body kick. Benavidez runs forward with punches, but doesn’t find the target. Nice combination from Benavidez.
Cejudo grabs a leg and yanks Benavidez to the mat. He’s straight back up though. Left hook for Benavidez. Both men trade blows at close range.
Body kick again for Cejudo. High kick upstairs from Benavidez is blocked. Right hand gets through for Benavidez. Cejudo takedown stuffed.
Body punch for Benavidez. Another long straight right gets through for Benavidez. Right hand for Cejudo and a knee to the midsection from Benavidez.
Two punches from Benavidez and a counter from Cejudo. Such a close fight heading into the final two and a half minutes!
Cejudo presses forward with punches. Leg kick. Nice right hand counter. Left hook for Cejudo and a crafty kick upstairs from Benavidez that partially lands.
Another tense exchange. Right hand for Benavidez. Benavidez misses with a flurry and Cejudo thinks about a takedown, then decides against it.
Benavidez continuing to work his movement. Body kick for Cejudo. Accidental clash of heads, but they are ok. Benavidez with a nice combo.
Both men landing at the same time. They continue trading strikes right up until the final bell.
Decision:
Great fight between these two top ranked flyweight talents and a tough one to call as they were often going blow for blow out there – though Cejudo’s point deduction in the first round makes his route to victory look more challenging.
The judges have made up their minds and the close nature of the fight has led to a split decision verdict, with Benavidez emerging victorious (27-29, 30-26, 29-27).
