The best and worst from UFC Fight Night 148: Thompson vs. Pettis

Modified Sep 17, 2019 10:58 GMT

Anthony Pettis delivered a knockout for the ages against Stephen Thompson

#2 Worst: Flyweight is on its last legs

Jussier Formiga's win over Deiveson Figueiredo may prove to be bad for the Flyweight division

Okay, so don’t get me wrong here; the fight last night between Jussier Formiga and Deiveson Figueiredo was a perfectly acceptable MMA fight, and when it was over there was no doubt that Formiga deserved the judges’ nod despite being cut open badly by an elbow and almost taking the third round off. But unfortunately, the result has probably done more harm than good to the future of the 125lbs division.

Whether or not the UFC decide to can the division is still up in the air, and could depend on the result of a likely fight for the now-vacant UFC Bantamweight title between Marlon Moraes and current Flyweight kingpin Henry Cejudo. But Figueiredo had gone 4-0 in the UFC before last night and had looked like a super-exciting fighter in his victories. A win for him last night could’ve set up a title fight with at least some interest.

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Instead, he was stifled by the ground skill of Formiga, who unfortunately has already lost to the de facto top two Flyweights in the game in Cejudo and Joseph Benavidez. And neither fight was all that competitive, meaning nobody will be likely to want to pay to see him rematch Cejudo. Formiga is a great fighter, no doubt – but he isn’t selling tickets any time soon and the fact that he’s now in line for a crack at the title could force the UFC’s hand when it comes to shutting down the division – which would be sad indeed.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Sai Krishna