Henry Carlos Cejudo (born February 9, 1987) is an American professional
mixed martial artist and
freestyle wrestler. He is a former
UFC Flyweight Champion and
Bantamweight Champion. He is the fourth UFC fighter to hold titles in two different weight classes simultaneously, and the second to defend titles in two different weight divisions. He is considered to be among the greatest combat athletes of all time due to his accomplishments in
MMA and
freestyle wrestling, earning him the nickname "Triple C."[8][9][10][11][12]
Born to Mexican immigrants in
Los Angeles,
California, Cejudo is the second youngest of the family's seven siblings.[16][17][18] As a result of his violent father's drug and alcohol abuse, Cejudo's family constantly moved around the Los Angeles area.[16]
When Cejudo was four, his mother fled to
New Mexico with her children before his father, who was jailed after threatening to kill his whole family and subsequently getting into an altercation in the street, was released.[16] His father was
deported when Cejudo was six years old and died when Cejudo was about 20 years old.[19][16] After a couple of years in New Mexico, the family relocated to
Phoenix, Arizona. In Phoenix, the family lived in
Maryvale in poverty despite their mother working multiple jobs to make the ends meet.[20][16]
Cejudo never slept alone in his own bed until he was provided one by
USA Wrestling while participating in a residency program at the
US Olympic Training Center in Colorado.[21] He also started competing as an amateur boxer, and won the annual state Copper Gloves boxing tournament in 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona.[22][23][24]
Inspired by his older brother
Angel Cejudo, who was an undefeated four-time
AIAwrestling state champion with a record of 150 wins and zero defeats who represented the United States internationally,[27][28] Henry also became a four-timer. His
freshman and
sophomore year titles were won in
Arizona, before he moved to
Colorado Springs, Colorado, to become a resident athlete at the
United States Olympic Training Center. He won the Colorado state championships (
CHSAA) as a
junior and
senior, and was named
ASICS "National High School Wrestler of the Year" in 2006. In the same year, he was selected in
USA Wrestling Magazine's "Dream Team of High School All-Americans."[29]
Cejudo made his senior level debut on October 23, 2005, at the Sunkist Open, at the age of 18. He earned notable victories over NCAA champion Jason Powell and three-time All-American Tanner Gardner before finishing fifth.[33] On April 15, 2006, he won the US National Championship at 55 kilograms, qualifying for the US World Team Trials[34] and becoming the first high schooler to do so since the organization (USAW) was established as the sport's governing body in 1983.[35] At the World Team Trials, he defeated an eventual accomplished wrestler in
Franklin Gómez in the opening match of the Challenge Tournament before making it to the
best-of-three finals. There, he was downed twice by the
2000 Olympic silver medalist and
1998 World ChampionSammie Henson, losing the spot.[36] He quickly bounced back a week later with a Pan American title.[37] In his last competition of the year, Cejudo competed at the Sunkist Open, where he lost in the second round.[38]
On March 22, 2007, Cejudo captured a bronze medal at the World Cup.[29] In April 7, he claimed his second US National title while compiling wins over
collegiate and
international standout
Nick Simmons and two-time All-American Vic Moreno.[39] On May 18, he earned his second Pan American title.[40] Cejudo then made the US World Team after two straight wins over Matt Azevedo.[41] Before the
2007 World Championships, he warmed up with a
Pan American Games title.[42] At the World Championships, he was taken out in the opening round by
Uzbekistan's Erkin Tadzhimetov and placed 31st.[43]
2008
Cejudo started off the most successful year of his freestyle career in March 2, with a Pan American title.[44] He failed to secure his third consecutive US National title after he was
pinned by Matt Azevedo, not before defeating recent All-American
Obe Blanc.[45] At the US Olympic Team Trials, he started off by comfortably downing two opponents to make it to the best-of-three. There, he had a hard-fought series with
04' Olympic Silver medalist and defending Olympic team member
Stephen Abas, whom he went 2–1 with, earning the
US Olympic Team spot.[46]
Cejudo was coached for the Olympics by
Kevin Jackson, the first Olympic gold medalist to win a UFC championship.[a][5]
At the
2008 Summer Olympics, Cejudo opened up with a win over
Radoslav Velikov, the
06' World Champion; after losing the first period 0–1, he bounced back with 3–2 and 4–3 periods. In the next round, he faced
Besarion Gochashvili from
Georgia; the same results as his opening bout popped up, after losing the first period 1–3, he came back with scores of 3–2 and 3–0 to defeat Gochashvili. He then wrestled
Azerbaijan's
Namig Sevdimov, whom he took out after once again losing the first period (3–5) and winning the next two (3–2, 4–3). In the finale, he met
Tomohiro Matsunaga, a
Japanese athlete who was coming fresh off an Asian title; he won the first period after scoring the biggest move and won the second period after a comfortable 3–0 score.[48][49] This made Cejudo the youngest
American to win Olympic Gold in wrestling history at age 21[50] (record was later broken by
Kyle Snyder, 20, in
2016).[51] He then took a break from his freestyle wrestling career.[52]
2011–2012
After announcing that he would try to make a second Olympic run in 2010,[53] Cejudo made his comeback at the 2011 Beat the Streets charity event,[54] where he beat Rasul Mashezov 2–0 and 4–3.[55]
In his first tournament since his lay-off, Cejudo claimed a Sunkist Open title after compiling four victories, on October 28, 2011.[56] On November 26, 2011, he earned a silver medal from the
Henri Deglane Challenge, after being defeated in the finals by
Ghenadie Tulbea.[57]
At the 2012 US Olympic Team Trials, Cejudo downed
Obe Blanc before being defeated by the top-seed
Nick Simmons, failing to make his second US Olympic Team. After the Simmons match, Cejudo put his shoes in the middle of the mat, signaling his retirement from the sport.[58][59]
Appearances post-retirement
While already an undefeated
MMA prospect, Cejudo made a brief return to the sport at the "Agon V:
Iowa against the World" event by wrestling
Tony Ramos (who would go on to win the US Open weeks later) on April 4, 2015, weeks after his win over
Chris Cariaso at
UFC 185. Despite riding an 8–2 lead, he was defeated by that year's
World Team Member after he scored eight more points of his own, ending the match 8–10.[60]
Soon after his exhibition match with Ramos, Cejudo flirted with the possibility of making a
2016 Olympic Run, however, his intentions never materialized.[61][62]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
On January 30, 2013, Cejudo announced on his Twitter page that he planned to begin training for a career in MMA.[63][64] Despite wrestling at 121 pounds during his wrestling career, Cejudo fought at 135 pounds in his MMA debut.[65] He defeated Michael Poe by TKO due to punches in his MMA debut on March 2, 2013, for the Arizona-based World Fighting Federation.[66]
Over the next year, Cejudo amassed a record of 6–0 with three wins by TKO, one by submission, and two by decision. Prior to signing with the UFC, Cejudo was listed as the #1 ranked bantamweight prospect in the MMA Prospects Report 2013.[67]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
On July 25, 2014, Cejudo signed with the
UFC.[68] He is the third Olympic gold medalist wrestler in company history, after
Mark Schultz and
Kevin Jackson.[69] Cejudo was expected to face
Scott Jorgensen on August 30, 2014, at
UFC 177.[70] However, due to medical issues on the day of the weigh-ins, Cejudo was forced out of the bout and the fight was subsequently canceled.[71] In light of this, and his history of missing weight, president
Dana White said Cejudo had to move up to bantamweight or leave the UFC.[72]
In his eventual debut, Cejudo faced
Dustin Kimura in a bantamweight bout on December 13, 2014, at
UFC on Fox 13.[73] Cejudo won the fight by unanimous decision.[74]
Cejudo faced
Chris Cariaso in a flyweight bout on March 14, 2015, at
UFC 185.[75] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[76]
On September 16, 2015, Cejudo announced that he would refuse to fight in Nevada after the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended and fined
Nick Diaz following a failed drug test at
UFC 182. Cejudo cited the NSAC's process in determining Diaz's guilt as the reason for the boycott.[82] Despite the lack of change in NSAC procedure, Cejudo ended his Nevada boycott to face UFC Flyweight champion
Demetrious Johnson on April 23, 2016, at
UFC 197 for the Flyweight title.[83] He lost the fight via TKO in the first round, being dropped with a variety of strikes.[84]
Cejudo was expected to face
Sergio Pettis on May 13, 2017, at
UFC 211.[88] However, on May 10, Cejudo pulled out of the fight with a hand injury and the bout was canceled.[89]
A rescheduled fight with Pettis took place on December 2, 2017, at
UFC 218.[93] Cejudo won the fight by unanimous decision.[94]
Flyweight champion
Two years after challenging for the UFC Flyweight title, Henry Cejudo rematched with Johnson in the co-main event at
UFC 227 on August 4, 2018.[95][96] Cejudo went on to win the back-and-forth fight via split decision to become the second UFC Flyweight Champion and first Olympic gold medalist to win a UFC division championship.[b][98] This fight earned him the
Fight of the Night award.[99] 13 of 25 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Cejudo, while 12 scored it for Johnson.[100]
In November 2018, Cejudo revealed that he had signed a six-fight contract with UFC.[101]
In the first defense of his
UFC Flyweight Championship, Cejudo was initially scheduled to face
UFC Bantamweight championT.J. Dillashaw on January 26, 2019, at
UFC 233.[102] However, after that pay-per-view event was canceled, the fight was moved a week earlier to headline
UFC Fight Night 143 on January 19, 2019.[103][104] It was the first title fight to showcase the new UFC legacy belt. Cejudo won the fight via TKO just 32 seconds into the first round to retain his title.[105] The win also earned Cejudo his second Performance of the Night bonus award.[106]
Double champion
On April 9, 2019, USADA announced that Dillashaw had tested positive for
EPO in pre and post-fight screenings and had been suspended for two years.[107]
Cejudo faced
Marlon Moraes on June 8, 2019 at
UFC 238 for the vacant
UFC Bantamweight Championship.[108] He won the fight via TKO in the third round.[109] This win made Cejudo the fourth fighter to hold championships simultaneously in two weight divisions in UFC, and earned him the
Performance of the Night award.[110] It was revealed later that Cejudo suffered a
rolled ankle mere days before the fight, requiring therapy to even compete.[111] In December 2019, Cejudo agreed to relinquish the UFC Flyweight title in order to focus on the bantamweight division.[112] Cejudo became inactive until 2020 due to a shoulder injury.[113]
Cejudo was scheduled to face
José Aldo on May 9, 2020 at
UFC 250.[114] However, Aldo pulled out on April 8 due to visa issues. Cejudo faced a replacement in
Dominick Cruz on May 9, 2020 at
UFC 249.[115] He won the fight via technical knockout in the second round.[116]
During the post-fight interview Cejudo announced his retirement from professional fighting.[117] The announcement was met with some skepticism, as various UFC commentators and fighters stated their opinion that Cejudo was using the announcement as a contract negotiation ploy.[118] On May 24, the UFC officially vacated the UFC Bantamweight Title and removed Cejudo's name from their rankings, based on his retirement announcement.[119]
Return from retirement
After nearly three years since his last bout, Cejudo faced
Aljamain Sterling on May 6, 2023 at
UFC 288 for the
UFC Bantamweight Championship.[120] He lost the close fight via split decision.[121] 21 of 23 MMA media outlets scored the bout for Sterling, while 2 scored it for Cejudo.[122]
Cejudo was scheduled to face
Marlon Vera on August 19, 2023, at
UFC 292.[123] However, Cejudo withdrew in late June due to a shoulder injury,[124] and was replaced by
Pedro Munhoz.[125]
Cejudo faced
Merab Dvalishvili on February 17, 2024, at
UFC 298.[126] After three rounds, Cejudo was defeated via unanimous decision.[127]
Defended the
UFC Flyweight Championship. Performance of the Night. Dillashaw tested positive in pre and post-fight drug tests for
erythropoietin (EPO). Cejudo vacated the title on February 29, 2020.