In the main event, Cejudo, 2008 Olympic gold medalist in men's freestyle wrestling, needed just over a half-minute to score a TKO over former Cal State Fullerton wrestler T.J. Dillashaw ... while, earlier in the evening, Gillespie, who was a 2007 NCAA champ and three-time EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) titlewinner at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, got a TKO of his own over Yancy Medeiros towards the end of Round Two.
Cejudo gets quick-but-controversial win
Henry Cejudo managed to hold onto his UFC flyweight title by defeating T.J. Dillashaw in just 32 seconds of the first round of their top-of-the-card 125-pound fight ... an outcome that generated some controversy.
Henry Cejudo at the post-fight press conference"'The Messenger' come out aggressively from the opening horn and landed a fierce kick to T.J. Dillashaw's ribs. From there, Cejudo landed a glancing head kick and then rocked his foe with punches to the head. Dillashaw tried scoring a takedown from his knees, but he was dropped again and again from punches to the head.
"Cejudo never stopped throwing bombs until Dillashaw rolled out and referee Kevin MacDonald pulled him off, ending the main event in just 32 seconds."
It was the fifth shortest title bout in UFC history.
The outcome did not sit well with Dillashaw ... or UFC president Dana White.
Immediately after the stoppage, Dillashaw appealed to the referee to reverse his decision and allow him to continue fighting. Failing that, the 32-year-old attempted to make his case in the post-fight news conference.
"I am leaps and bounds better than Henry Cejudo. I believe that. I didn't get a chance to prove it," Dillashaw said. "I'm pretty f'ing bitter right now. I'm pretty pissed off. I worked my ass off, bro. I'm about to f---ing cry.
"I came in, I felt great. I felt really good. I thought it was gonna be fireworks for me tonight. I got dealt a s---ty card."
Dana White weighed in on Dillashaw's side, saying, "It was definitely an early stoppage. You're talking about two of the best fighters in the world, two world champions. Let them win or lose the fight, you know what I mean? Let T.J. lose that fight. It was a bad stoppage. I'm not taking anything away from Cejudo, because Cejudo went out there and started busting him up and took it right to him, hurt him. ... But in a fight like that, you gotta let the guy win or lose the fight."
The flyweights ain't dying we multiplying. #andstill @arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/aOJmMZjqJA
�" Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) January 20, 2019
With the win, the 31-year-old Cejudo retains his flyweight title, and improves to 14-2 since launching his MMA career in March 2013.
Dillashaw, reigning UFC bantamweight (135-pound) champ, lost his bid to become only the fourth UFC fighter to hold onto two titles at once. He is now 16-4 in a pro MMA career nine years in the making.
Gillespie wins bout, loses wallet
One could say that UFC Fight Night 143 was a mixed bag for Gregor Gillespie, as the former collegiate mat champ maintained his perfect pro MMA record ... but managed to have his fight bag stolen, containing his wallet, mouthpiece and fight gear.
The 31-year-old Gillespie, a four-time NCAA All-American wrestler for the Edinboro Fighting Scots, came out on top of Yancy Medeiros with a TKO by punches at 4:59 of the second round.
"Gregor Gillespie remained unbeaten in his MMA career by dominating Yancy Medeiros for nearly two rounds before stopping him," according to Sherdog.com. "'The Gift' scored several takedowns and mauled him from start to finish and never allowed the Hawaiian to ever get things
going.
"Gillespie eventually took 'The Kid' down late in the second, seized his back and then teed off on him with punches until referee Todd Anderson intervened. The end came with one second remaining in the frame."
Here's how Yahoo! Sports described the match.
"Gregor Gillespie kept his spotless record intact, thoroughly thrashing Yancy Medeiros ...
"Gillespie has set the UFC lightweight division on fire by putting his wrestling pedigree to work, having been a four-time All-American in the NCAA Division I, as well as a national champion ...
"Though Medeiros continuously scrambled and regained his feet, he couldn't break free of Gillespie's clutches. When the NCAA Division I wrestling champion wasn't riding Medeiros on the ground, he was pressing him up against the cage and driving knees into his thighs and ribs."
Gregor Gillespie, who launched his pro MMA career almost exactly five years ago, is now 13-0 in his MMA career ... while Medeiros dropped to 15-7 with one no contest.
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