By FCF Staff

Recently there’s been plenty of indications the men’s flyweight division in the UFC is in serious jeopardy, but Joseph Benavidez is doing his best to save it.

Earlier this year there was renewed rumors the UFC was considering shutting down the 125 division, and that speculation heightened, after former champ Demetrious Johnson moved to ONE Championship. More recently, there’s been flyweight fighters reporting they’ve been released by the UFC, in advance of the division’s shutdown. UFC President, Dana White, however, has only said the division’s future is unclear.

Benavidez took out Alex Perez this past weekend at the TUF 28 Finale, and following the win, he had this to say about the flyweight division (quotes via MMA Junkie):

“The commentary – I’m just trying to change it,” Benavidez said. “Everybody’s like, ‘When’s it leaving? Is this the last fight? Are they still doing it? Are you going up (in weight)?’

“Why aren’t people talking about how exciting it is? We’ve got a pound-for-pound champion in T.J. (Dillashaw) coming down to our weight to fight an Olympic champion who just beat the greatest ever. I have a win over Henry (Cejudo). T.J.’s an ex-teammate of mine – the story’s there. The skill is obviously there, as much as in any division.”

“I have a win over the new champion, and he’s fighting for the title. So there’s a ton of life there, and that’s really what I look at…”

Dillashaw is moving down to 125 to challenge the champ Cejudo on January 26th, at UFC 233 in Anaheim.