Top 5 flyweights in UFC history
The co-main event of UFC 270 will see Brandon Moreno defend his flyweight title in a trilogy bout against Deiveson Figueiredo. The pair make up two of the four flyweight champions since the UFC started the division. With that being said, just where do they rank in the top five flyweights in UFC history?
The flyweight division is the most recent men's division to be added, meaning it doesn't have the wealth of history other weight classes do. A four-man tournament was devised to determine the inaugural champion in 2012 and the flyweights have been entertaining fans ever since.
While flyweights don't tend to carry the same amount of power as heavier fighters, they bring a level of speed to the table that is unparalleled. This has resulted in some amazing action over the years and, while the division appeared to be in jeopardy at one point, it now seems secure as a permanent fixture.
With so many great fighters gracing the division since its inception, narrowing it down to a top five all-time is no simple task. In doing so, the overall record in the division, title reigns and defense and the quality of wins have all been taken into account.
Here are the top five in UFC history:
#5. Joseph Benavidez - 4x UFC flyweight title challenger
Joseph Benavidez never managed to win flyweight gold. However, he repeatedly challenged for the belt between 2012 and 2020, consistently proving himself to be one of the best flyweights on the planet over an impressive length of time. Due to this, Benavidez has earned his spot among the greatest flyweights in history.
Benavidez first entered the octagon as a bantamweight and only ever lost at that weight to one Dominick Cruz. He then found his home at 125 lbs, amassing a 13-6 record at flyweight. The losses the American suffered were nothing to be scoffed at either.
Four-time UFC title challenger Joseph Benavidez retires
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His defeats came twice in title fights with Demetrious Johnson, one to current Bellator champion Sergio Pettis, two more title defeats to Deiveson Figueiredo and one to undefeated Askar Askarov. This latest loss led to the veteran retiring but he left his mark as one of the greatest to ever do it at 125 lbs.
UFC 270 Countdown airs Sat Jan 15 at 1pm on ABC ]The biggest fight in flyweight ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
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