Henry Cejudo

At 37 years old, Henry Cejudo has this physical status:

Henry Carlos Cejudo (born February 9, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler.

He is currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is the reigning champion of the Bantamweight and Flyweight divisions.

Cejudo is an Olympic gold medalist and a freestyle wrestler.

He is currently ranked #3 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings as of August 19, 2019.

Personal life

America is Cejudo and his partner Karolina's daughter (born 19521).

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Wrestling career

Henry was inspired by his older brother Angel Cejudo, who had an unbeaten four-time AIA state champion with a record of 150 victories and zero losses, and he was also a four-time champion. Before moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to become a resident athlete at the United States Olympic Training Center, his freshman and sophomore year titles were won in Arizona. 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. He was selected in the USA Wrestling Magazine's Dream Team of High School All-Americans last year.

Cejudo claimed the Fargo National Championship in freestyle in 2006. He began full-time at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, right after winning. Cejudo was preparing for the Junior World Championships after a fifth-place finish in 2005, he was able to win the silver medal for the United States of America. Rather than competing in college, he chose to work in an international career rather than competing in college.

Cejudo made his senior level debut on October 23, 2005 at the Sunkist Open on October 23, 2005, at the age of 18. Tanner Gardner, a three-time All-American champion, and NCAA champion Jason Powell were crowned champions before finishing fifth. He won the US National Championship at 55 kilograms on April 15, 2006, qualifying for the US World Team Trials and becoming the first high schooler to do so since the sport's governing body (USAW) was established in 1983. In the first match of the Challenge Tournament, he defeated an experienced wrestler in Franklin Gómez before progressing to the best-of-three finals. Sammie Henson, the 00' Olympic Silver medalist and 98' World Champion, was knocked twice by him, losing the position. He returned to action a week later with a Pan American title. Cejudo competed in the Sunkist Open, losing in the second round in his last competition of the year.

He earned a bronze medal at the World Cup on March 22, 2007. He captured his second US National title in April 7 while compiling victories over collegiate and international standout Nick Simmons and two-time All-American Vic Moreno. He won his second Pan American title on May 18th. After two straight victories over Matt Azevedo, Cejudo earned the US World Team. He was battling for a Pan American Games title before the World Championships. He was disqualified in the first round by Erkin Tadzhimet, a Uzbekistan's Erkin Tadzhimetov, and placed 31st in the World's Cup.

Cejudo's first year of freestyle in March 2nd marked his most fruitful year, winning the Pan American title. He failed to win his third straight US National Championship after being pinned by Matt Azevedo, but not before beating recent All-American Obe Blanc. He started off by comfortably defeating two opponents to advance to the top-of-three at the US Olympic Team Trials. Stephen Abas, a 2004 Olympic Silver medalist and defending Olympic Teamer, was battling for victory in the US Olympic Team competition, winning the US Olympic Team award by a narrow margin.

Cejudo opened the 2008 Summer Olympics with a victory over Radoslav Velikov, the 2006 World Champion; after losing the first period 0–1, he recovered with 3–2 and 4–3 periods. He met Besarion Gochashvili from Georgia in the second round, delivering the same results as his first encounter was lost. He defeated Gochashvili by 3–2 and 3–0. He then wrestled Namig Sevdimov of Azerbaijan, who was forced to withdraw after losing the first period (3–5) and winning the next two (3–2, 4–3). He met Tomohiro Matsunaga, a Japanese athlete who was just starting off an Asian title, in the finale; he won the first period after scoring the most points and then won the second period with a convincing 3–0 score. Cejudo became the youngest American to win Olympic Gold at the age of 21 (record was later broken by Kyle Snyder, 20, in 2016). He then took a break from his freestyle wrestling career.

Cejudo made his comeback to the 2011 Beat the Streets charity run in 2010, beating Rasul Mashezov 2–0 and 4–3.

Cejudo claimed a Sunkist Open title after compiling four victories on October 28, 2011. Henri Deglane Challenge's silver medalist after being disqualified in the finals by Ghenadie Tulbea on November 26, 2011.

Cejudo defeated Obe Blanc in the 2012 US Olympic Team Trials, losing his second US Olympic Team. Cejudo stepped into the mat after the Simmons match, hinting at his retirement from the sport.

Cejudo made a brief return to action at "Agon Vs. Iowa Against the World" by wrestling Tony Ramos (who would go on to win the US Open weeks later) on April 4, 2015, weeks after his victory over Chris Cariaso at UFC 185. Despite riding a 8–2 lead, he was defeated by the World Team Member of the year after he scored eight more points of his own, bringing the match 8–10.

Cejudo was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in June 2018.

Cejudo speculated at a 2016 Olympic run after his exhibition match against Ramos, but his plans never materialized. Cejudo said after his UFC retirement in May 2020, he "could never see myself returning (to wrestling)" but that he was interested in visiting his former coach Terry Brands and training with 2020 Dan Hodge Trophy winner Spencer Lee, which he did in October 2020.

Mixed martial arts career

Cejudo revealed on Twitter on January 30, 2013 that he intended to start training for a career in MMA. Despite wrestling at 121 pounds in his wrestling career, Cejudo's debut fought at 135 pounds in his first MMA debut. In his MMA debut for the Arizona-based World Combat Federation on March 2, 2013, he defeated Michael Poe by TKO due to punches.

Cejudo has a record of 6–0 with three wins by TKO, one by submission, and two by decision. Cejudo was rated as the top ranked bantamweight prospect in the MMA Prospects Report 2013, before signing with the UFC.

Cejudo signed with the UFC on July 25, 2014. He is the third Olympic gold medalist wrestler in company history, after Mark Schultz and Kevin Jackson. Cejudo was supposed to face Scott Jorgensen at UFC 177 on August 30, 2014. However, Cejudo was initially suspended from the fight due to medical conditions on the day of the weigh-ins, and the match was eventually called off. President Dana White told Cejudo that if they wanted to bantamweight and leave the UFC because of this and his history of missing weight.

Cejudo faced Dustin Kimura in a bantamweight brawl at UFC on Fox 13. Cejudo was voted unanimously in the fight.

On March 14, 2015, Cejudo defeated Chris Cariaso in a flyweight match at UFC 185. He was voted unanimously to win the fight.

On June 13, 2015, Cejudo defeated Chico Camus at UFC 188. He was able to win by a unanimous vote.

On September 5, 2015, Cejudo was briefly connected to a match against former title challenger Joseph Benavidez at UFC 191. However, the confrontation took place at the wrong time. On November 21, 2015, Cejudo defeated Jussier Formiga in the Ultimate Fighter Latin America 2 Finale. He won by a split decision in the fight. Brandon Moreno revealed that he helped Cejudo train for the fight.

After the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended and fined Nick Diaz for a missed drug test at UFC 182, Cejudo said on September 16, 2015, he would not fight in Nevada. Cejudo cited the NSAC's process in determining Diaz's guilt as the reason for the boycott. Given the lack of reform in NSAC procedures, Cejudo decided to leave Nevada to face Demetrious Johnson, the UFC Flyweight champion, on April 23, 2016, UFC 197 for the Flyweight title. In the first round, he was disqualified by TKO after being hit with a variety of strikes.

Cejudo will be one of the coaches, opposite Joseph Benavidez on The Ultimate Fighter 24 in May 2016. The pair met in The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale on December 3, 2016. Cejudo was disqualified by a split decision in the back-and-forth war.

Cejudo had been scheduled to face Sergio Pettis on May 13, 2017, at UFC 211. However, Cejudo pulled out of the competition with a hand injury on May 10, and the match was called off.

Wilson Reis was defeated by Cejudo at UFC 215, September 9, 2017. In the second round, he defeated him by TKO. Cejudo's first Performance of the Night bonus award was also rewarded for this win.

On December 2, 2017, UFC 218 hosted a rescheduled match with Pettis. Cejudo was voted unanimously in the fight.

Cejudo defeated Demetrious Johnson in a rematch for the UFC Flyweight Championship title in the co-main event at UFC 227 on August 4, 2018. Cejudo went on to win the back-and-forth battle by a split decision to become the United States' second Flyweight champion and first Olympic gold medalist to win UFC gold. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award. The fight was decided in favour of Cejudo by 13 of the 25 media outlets, while 12 of Johnson's scored it against Johnson.

Cejudo announced in November 2018 that he had signed a six-fight deal with UFC.

Cejudo's first defense of his UFC Flyweight Championship against T.J. Dillashaw was supposed to face T.J. Dillashaw on January 26, 2019, at UFC 233. However, after the pay-per-view spectacle was cancelled, the fight was pushed a week earlier to headline UFC Fight Night 143 on January 19, 2019. It was the first title fight to showcase the United States' new heritage belt. Cejudo secured his title by TKO only 32 seconds into the first round. Cejudo also received his second Performance of the Night bonus award for his win. Dillashaw had positive EPO in pre- and post-fight screenings and had been banned for two years, according to USADA on April 9, 2019. Cejudo defeated Marlon Moraes in the UFC 238 for the vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship on June 8, 2019. In the third round, he defeated him by TKO. Cejudo became the fourth fighter in two weight divisions in UFC, winning him the coveted Performance of the Night award. Due to a shoulder injury, Cejudo was inactive until 2020.

Cejudo decided to abandon the UFC Flyweight title in December 2019 in order to concentrate on the bantamweight division.

On June 8, 2019, Cejudo took on Marlon Moraes at UFC 238 for the vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship. In the third round, he secured the fight by TKO. Cejudo was the fourth fighter to hold championships in two weight divisions in UFC simultaneously, earning him the coveted Performance of the Night award. Cejudo was inactive until 2020 due to a shoulder injury. Cejudo sustained a rolled ankle a few days before the war, and it was revealed later that he had to recover from therapy to even compete.

Cejudo was supposed to face José Aldo at UFC 250 on May 9, 2020. However, Aldo had to cancel on April 8 due to visa issues. Cejudo was up for resurrecting Dominick Cruz at UFC 249. In the second round, he won the fight by a technical knockout.

Cejudo resigned from active combat right after the Cruz fight on May 9, 2020 The statement was met with some suspicion, as numerous UFC commentators and fighters argued that Cejudo was using the announcement as a labor negotiation tactic.

Based on Cejudo's retirement announcement, the UFC officially vacated the bantamweight title and snubbed the name from their rankings on May 24.

Cejudo's coach Eric Albarracin revealed in May 2022 that the Cejudo had re-entered the USADA testing pool with the intention to return to action in late 2022.

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