When did Henry Cejudo win Olympic Gold Medal?
Former bantamweight champion and flyweight champion, Henry Cejudo is a popular name in the UFC. The fighter had also won a gold medal in wrestling in the Olympics in 2008.
Follow Us
Henry Cejudo won the gold medal in 2008 (Image Souces - Forbes/MMAMania)
Mixed martial artist, Henry Cejudo, is one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster. His wrestling background is one of the main reasons for his success in his career. Hailing from the United States, the fighter was a top-ranked wrestler. Cejudo has collected notable wins over Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson. The fighter has won two division championship belts in the UFC. Moreover, he is also an Olympic gold medalist.
Cejudo is known for being an outstanding wrestler. ‘Triple C’ is also known for his grappling and wrestling. The fighter’s background in wrestling has been credited to a lot of his wins in his MMA career. His speed and athleticism have earned the respect of his opponents in the cage. In addition to wrestling, the fighter is also a vicious striker. Henry Cejudo has managed to amass several brutal knockouts and submissions on his record. Cejudo’s playful trash-talking and ahead of his fights have also made him a fan favorite.
Henry Cejudo won the Olympic Gold Medal in 2008
UFC fighter, Henry Cejudo was an Olympic gold medalist wrestler before his mixed martial arts career. The fighter made history in 2008 after he became the youngest American wrestler to win the Olympic gold medal before Kyle Snyder at the age of 21. His accomplishments in his wrestling days met a successful transition to the UFC. In high school, Cejudo emerged victorious in his first national wrestling championship. Later on, he went on to win four state championships in the freestyle wrestling tournaments. He was considered a young talent as he managed to rack up an impressive record.
The fighter continued to compete in freestyle wrestling. In college, the fighter won the NCAA championship. Following the successful wrestling run, the fighter decided to move up in the ranks. Cejudo joined the United States Olympic wrestling team later on. ‘Triple C’ competed in the 121lb weight class at the Beijing Olympics. Before Kyle Snyder, Cejudo was the youngest wrestler to win a gold medal in the Olympics.
Henry Cejudo’s wrestling run was bound to make history. As expected, the fighter won the Olympic gold medal in 2008. The special moment solidified the fighter as one of the greatest American wrestlers. Although Cejudo made one of the most successful transitions to MMA, his gold medal win will always be a standout moment for the fighter.
Henry Cejudo’s successful transition into MMA
Henry Cejudo made a successful transition to mixed martial arts. After his wrestling career, the fighter wanted to dip his toes in the MMA world and found quite a bit of success in it. Fighters who have had a successful wrestling background are not known to be the best strikers. Henry Cejudo was a phenomenal exception to this stereotype. He began training for MMA in 2013 and quickly realized his potential. Cejudo’s wrestling background and newfound striking skills met quite a bit of success in his MMA career.
A year later, Henry Cejudo signed with the UFC. His first fight was set to be against Dustin Kimura at UFC on Fox 13. ‘Triple C’ won the bout via unanimous decision. This was not enough to skyrocket Henry’s fame in the UFC. Cejudo continued to fight, displaying his impressive striking and wrestling skills. Before his UFC debut, the fighter made his MMA debut at World Fighting Federation. He took on Michael Poe and won the fight via round 1 TKO.
In the UFC, Henry became the Bantamweight Champion and UFC Flyweight Champion, making him a double champ in two weight classes. He defeated Marlon Moraes via TKO in the 2nd round, which got him the bantamweight title. Before that, ‘Triple C’ emerged victorious against Demetrious Johnson via a split decision for the flyweight title in 2018.
FAQs
Henry Cejudo won the Olympic Gold in 2008.
Yes, he was only 21. Later, this record was broken by Kyle Snyder. He won a gold at the age of 20.
Yes, he was the bantamweight and flyweight champion of the UFC simultaneously.
In case you missed it!
Stay Updated!
Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)