Did Henry Cejudo truly scout Sean O'Malley for Marlon Vera?
The former double champ, oh and Olympic Gold Medalist (if you haven't heard), Henry Cejudo has come out with an interesting statement. It's one that's not totally hard to believe. Just interesting that he would do it, if he did.
"Triple C", "The Messenger", "Captain Cringe", call him what you will, Henry Cejudo said that he gave Marlon Vera the best scouting report on how to take out Sean O'Malley. While "Suga" Sean went into UFC 252 with the entire UFC train behind him, Vera's a tough out. The workmanlike fighter is only 2 years older than him, and in 23 career fights has never been finished.
According to Henry Cejudo, he told "Chito" Vera to chop away the lanky fighters' legs. The message went like this:
Listen, man, the way to beat this dude is to make him fight his b-side. Put him in the clinch, up against the cage. He's heavy with his left leg so smoke the hands and just fasten that calf kick because it's been taking everyone out. It happened with me with Demterious Johnson which is why I went from the karate stance to a little more neutral because people were catching on to it a little too much.
And that much is true, there was a change pre "Mighty Mouse" fight to post-fight for Henry Cejudo. It only took him another loss (to Joseph Benavidez) to fully implement the game plan. From then on he looked like a world-beater. He also implied that he advised because they have a lot of mutual people in their lives.
Henry Cejudo doesn't have anything really against Sean O'Malley. He admitted he has some great tools but isn't a total package fighter. After defeating Dominick Cruz, Cejudo decided to walk away. Although most thought it was a business ploy. Until he stepped away from the USADA testing pool.
So if he was to make a return to the octagon, he'd have to be in the pool for 6 months before eligible to enter a UFC cage. He's since continued to call out fighters like Alexander Volkanovski in his search to become a three-division champion. And the opportunity to be put onto a pedestal that no other UFC has been on is a true golden nugget for him. He recently put out this on twitter:
There are only two other fighters that can do that. One is Conor McGregor, who would have his hands more than full with Kamaru Usman. The other is Amanda Nunes who although has taken 2 decisions over Valentina Shevchenko already might have problems with her at 125.
But in speaking with Brendan Shaub on "Food Truck Diaries" Marlon Vera didn't go into any advice from Henry Cejudo. But after the loss, Sean hasn't handled it well. Yes, rolling his ankle set up the finish; and that's not something you can anticipate. But it's what happened. O'Malley has sulked about it. And in the eyes of those companies that have invested might not look too good.
It also knocked Sean O'Malley out of the rankings and put Marlon Vera into it. And there's no doubt they will run this back one day. You just have to wonder will there be any more advice coming from Henry Cejudo.