3 reasons why Henry Cejudo retiring at UFC 249 was bad idea
A comprehensive analysis of how former double champion Henry Cejudo's retirement at UFC 249 backfired on the Olympian.
Henry Cejudo opted for retirement after UFC 249 (Image via CBS Sports)
Over the years in the UFC community, there have not been many cases of fighters coming out of retirement to compete again. Typically, if a fighter has had a successful career, returning from retirement seems illogical to the general public. Nevertheless, one former UFC champion made this significant decision. Henry Cejudo came out of retirement back in 2023 with the intention to dominate.
With a background in wrestling, he quickly made a name for himself in the promotion following his debut in 2014. Notably, Cejudo became part of the elite group of UFC double champions. At UFC 227, he defeated Demetrious Johnson to capture the UFC flyweight championship. Following that, Cejudo secured the vacant UFC bantamweight championship by overcoming Marlon Moraes at UFC 238.
After his first UFC bantamweight title defense fight, Cejudo made a shocking announcement. At UFC 249, ‘Triple C’ faced Dominick Cruz and emerged victorious with a brutal TKO. However, what surprised everyone was Cejudo’s announcement of his retirement following that performance. Now, years later, let’s discuss whether this decision was the right one for the former UFC double champion.
3. Henry Cejudo is no longer in his physical prime
Henry Cejudo’s retirement announcement surprised the MMA community. However, after a three-year hiatus, Cejudo came out of retirement. Interestingly, the UFC community quickly built excitement and anticipation to see the former double champion compete again. Unfortunately, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Cejudo’s career after 2023 has not been as pleasing or positive as anticipated.
At the age of 36, Cejudo made a comeback to fight for the UFC bantamweight title at UFC 288. However, he couldn’t overcome Aljamain Sterling’s MMA skills and lost the match in a close affair. Following this, Cejudo’s career faced a setback as he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of the octagon for nearly six months.
Afterward, Cejudo lost to Merab Dvalishvili and was totally outclassed in the wrestling department, showing a lack of physical strength after turning 36. As a result, he even began to contemplate retirement again. Interestingly, the two phases of Cejudo’s career are strikingly different. While ‘Triple C’ dominated until 2020 at his peak, story since 2023 remains hampered by age and injuries.
2. The lack of commitment after coming out of retirement
From a young age, Henry Cejudo faced numerous challenges, including family drama. However, at a pivotal moment in his life, he found inspiration in his older brother and began training in wrestling. This decision had a remarkable impact on his life, leading Cejudo to achieve numerous accolades in the sport, including winning a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.
With that impressive stature, Cejudo transitioned into MMA and joined the UFC. From the beginning of his MMA career, the American fighter’s determination to enhance his reputation was evident. Despite his desire to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title, his actions suggested otherwise.
In addition to preparing for his own fights, Cejudo has been seen assisting several other UFC fighters during their training sessions. Notable fighters such as Jon Jones, Zhang Weili, and Deiveson Figueiredo have benefited from Cejudo’s exceptional wrestling skills.
Moreover, Triple C didn’t add any new weapon to his arsenal during the time he was away from the sport. An improvement to his boxing and submission skills could go a long way in a division full of strikers like Sean O’Malley, Petr Yan, Song Yadong, and Cory Sandhagen. However, the Olympian could not even get a takedown on Yadong at UFC Seattle, further proving his current physical limitations.
1. Missed out on GOAT status of the UFC bantamweight division
Since its inception, the UFC bantamweight division has been home to many of the top MMA fighters in the world. Notable names such as Dominick Cruz, Aljamain Sterling, TJ Dillashaw, and Henry Cejudo have made their mark in the 135-pound division. However, when it comes to determining the undisputed GOAT of the bantamweight division, there aren’t any.
Aljamain Sterling currently holds the record for the most title defense wins in a single reign in the UFC bantamweight division, with a total of three. Interestingly, during the height of his career, ‘Triple C’ was on a six-fight winning streak until his retirement. This suggests that Cejudo might have continued his success instead of choosing to retire at UFC 249.
Sterling accomplished the significant feat by defeating Cejudo three years later in 2023. ‘Triple C’ had the chance to solidify his legacy in the bantamweight division without retiring. The 2020 version of Triple C looked unbeatable after dismantling TJ Dillashaw, Marlon Moraes and Cruz. In a hypothetical scenario, he would have faced Jose Aldo, Petr Yan, and Sterling in future title defenses if he hadn’t retired.
Wrestlers has had tremendous success against Yan. He lost to Sterling (UFC 273) and Dvalishvili (UFC on ESPN+ 79) because he couldn’t stop the takedowns when needed. Meanwhile, Aldo has lost to Dvalishvili (UFC 278) and Mario Bautista (UFC 307) due to wrestling. As such, the 2020 version of Cejudo could have achieved similar success against Yan and Aldo.
If he continued fighting and defended the title three consecutive times before Sterling did, Cejudo would have received the recognition of the undisputed bantamweight GOAT. This is a big achievement that he missed out on because he had the skill set to chase greatness.
Stay Updated!
/techfirstnow/media/agency_attachments/kATjCXskQdJKkXN0OuqW.png)