Cejudo: Benavidez Deserves Rematch Because Figueiredo Cheated

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It’s uncommon for UFC to book an immediate rematch when one fighter gets knocked out in convincing fashion, particularly in a title fight, but Joseph Benavidez is likely to get a second crack at flyweight nemesis, Deiveson Figueiredo, at some point later this year.

Simply because the Brazilian “cheated.”

That’s according to reigning UFC bantamweight champion, Henry Cejudo, who vacated his 125-pound strap in order to compete in the upcoming UFC 250 pay-per-view (PPV) main event against Jose Aldo this May in Brazil.

“I think Joe does deserves it,” Cejudo told MMA Fighting (transcribed by Natasha Hooper). “It was unfortunate because Joe did lose, but Figueiredo didn’t win [because] there is a disadvantage. So, it’s not so much the 2.5 pounds of water that he had to get off, it’s the fatigue that comes with it. Two and a half pounds is a lot of weight man, even 0.5 is a lot. 0.2 at times at the highest levels? Super hard, so it’s an advantage man. So Figueiredo, he did cheat.”

Figueiredo missed weight by a whopping 2.5 pounds.

The scale fail left the Brazilian ineligible to win the flyweight title, so despite his victory, the 125-pound division remains a division without a champion. That hasn’t stopped Cejudo from claiming the belt is still his, since he wasn’t beaten for it.

Benavidez is likely to rematch Figueiredo in July.