"I'm not GSP" - Henry Cejudo hilariously reacts to the UFC not matching him up with Alexander Volkanovski
Former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo has opened up about the UFC not matching him up against reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Speaking to Helen Yee, Cejudo suggested that he isn’t as big of a star as Georges St-Pierre and jested that he doesn't have good hair like 'GSP'. He said this is why the UFC isn't granting him an immediate title shot after his lengthy MMA hiatus.
Georges St-Pierre stepped away from MMA competition after his welterweight title defense against Johny Hendricks in November 2013. 'GSP' returned in November 2017 and beat Michael Bisping to win the UFC middleweight title. Following this, St-Pierre vacated the title and retired from MMA.
Meanwhile, Cejudo defended his bantamweight belt against Dominick Cruz in May 2020 before retiring from MMA and vacating the title soon after. Cejudo subsequently lobbied for a shot at Volkanovski’s featherweight belt but has consistently been shot down by the UFC.
Furthermore, UFC president Dana White insists that Cejudo could return to bantamweight instead and try to reclaim his title. Addressing the same, Cejudo explained that regaining the bantamweight belt could help him convince the UFC to give him a featherweight title shot.
“I’m going after that featherweight title. Like, getting the bantamweight title, that’s that stepping stone that I get up to what I really want. So, that’s the way I see it. So, if I have to go through these guys, I mean, I would have preferred to just – give me Volkanovski for what I’ve done. But they’re not going to give him to me. Like, I’m not GSP. You know what I’m saying. I don’t have good hair. I don’t know what the hell it is. But if I have to make it, if I have to do things like that, that’s what I have to do.”
Watch Henry Cejudo’s conversation with Helen Yee in the video below:
Ali Abdelaziz outlines the UFC’s plans for Henry Cejudo’s comeback
Henry Cejudo notably jibed at reigning UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, labeling him as a “stunt double” and warning that he’s coming for his title.
Cejudo recently re-entered the USADA testing pool and is primed to return to the octagon soon. In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Cejudo’s manager Ali Abdelaziz touched upon ‘Triple C’s’ comeback fight.
He claimed that the UFC will put the former flyweight and bantamweight champion up against Sterling in a bantamweight title fight right away.
I was actually able to take @funkmastermma to @henry_cejudo house and we had a talk. Was good. It was amazing to see how they operated in each other’s space. This fight will be fun when it gets made!!!! Dropping the video at 4:30est/ 1:30pst youtu.be/Pz9zEFOX-Lk don’t miss! https://t.co/hJmBTNU9Fc
Cejudo’s comeback date and opponent haven’t been officially announced as of now. Regardless, Abdelaziz said:
"When Henry [Cejudo] comes back, he will get an immediate title shot at bantamweight. That's what I was being told."
Watch Ali Abdelaziz's interview to ESPN MMA below: