Henry Cejudo not retiring after all – “I just cannot let it roll like this”
Former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo will not be retiring after all. It was speculated that after his lopsided UFC 298 loss to Merab Dvalishvili, that “Triple C” would take a knee and retire in the center of the octagon once again.
When Cejudo was not afforded an in octagon post-fight interview, UFC CEO Dana White said that the night was not about the Olympic gold medalist, rather it was about Merab and his win.
Earlier today on his YouTube channel, Cejudo addressed the loss and detailed that the loss, his second in a row, would not be his last.
“I just cannot let it roll like this. I just cannot,” Cejudo said. “As much as it hurts. Again, guys, I take the L. But I cannot take the L knowing the way that I pretty much went out. I don’t mind the losing aspect of it. Maybe just the way that I did go — the being winded side, the not trying to knock this dude out because I was tired — I think that’s the stuff that really bothers me. So as of today, guys, I was getting ready to announce my [retirement] — a couple of days ago, I literally did a whole video on my retirement, thanking my family, thanking my friends, thanking everybody who has been there.
Cejudo retired as bantamweight champion in 2020 after defeating former champion Dominick Cruz. He came out of retirement in 2023 and dropped a split decision to Aljamain Sterling. Since his return to competition Cejudo has been winless inside the octagon.
“But as time sets in and gives me a chance to talk to a lot of the legends — I called Daniel Cormier, I talked to Quinton ‘Rampage,’ I talked to a lot of guys who I respect who have been there before. And you know what, Henry? Look at your situation. You went out and you fought the No. 1 guy in the world [Aljamain Sterling], you lost a split decision. You went out and you pretty much fought the best guy in the world [Dvalishvili], because when this guy gets an opportunity to fight Sean O’Malley or ‘Chito’ Vera, it’s going to be easy work for him. Because I thought the same thing as Sean. I was like Sean, ‘This dude is f****** sloppy, this dude is X,Y, and Z.’ But it’s different when you actually get in there.
“It’s different when you have a pace, and a guy that doesn’t necessarily have that knockout power or that accuracy, but just has that go in him, and that’s what makes him dangerous. It’s not necessarily his wrestling. It’s his threshold, it’s the ability of him continuing to keep picking up the pace, and keeping it at that pace where he doesn’t drain his own wad. He got me. I take the L. But I cannot let it sit like this. I just cannot, man.”
