Henry Cejudo names UFC star he'd defend title against after beating Aljamain Sterling
With the seemingly inevitable announcement of Aljamain Sterling's next title defense potentially imminent, Henry Cejudo named Sean O'Malley as his first bantamweight title defense if he is matched up against and beats the champ next.
'Triple C' has been making enemies in his division since announcing his return to combat sports following a two-year hiatus from the octagon. Despite having to capture the 135-pound title first, the former Olympian has stated his interest in moving up in weight to compete against featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski.
While addressing the situation regarding his bantamweight title shot on his YouTube channel, Henry Cejudo insisted that "after" he beats Aljamain Sterling, he will grant Sean O'Malley the chance to capture UFC gold:
"I'm prepared, I'm ready, the UFC wants it, Dana White wants it. It's signed on my portion, we're just waiting for Aljamain Sterling and we're waiting for the UFC to really pop off the date, and for me to be crowned 'and new'. Sean O'Malley, stay hot, stay hot, man. You just wait for daddy to come back and you're next."
Having spent almost three years away from the cage, Cejudo finds himself in a prime position to recapture a title he never lost, though he will have to get past the grappling wizardry of Aljamain Sterling first.
Despite beating Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw, Marlon Moraes, and Dominick Cruz consecutively, the Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist has arguably never faced an opponent with the level of ability 'Funk Master' has when the fight hits the mat.
Check out what Henry Cejudo had to say about winning the bantamweight strap and his ideal subsequent bout against Sean O'Malley in the video below:
How is Henry Cejudo halting Sean O'Malley's first UFC title shot?
Last time out, despite the result being filled with controversy, Sean O'Malley managed to put on an all-time display against one of the toughest men currently in the division, snatching away Petr Yan's ranking in the process.
Prior to beating the Russian, the flashy 135er put on some phenomenal performances, beating Thomas Almeida, Kris Moutinho, and Raulian Paiva all by stoppage before being a no contest in his clash with Pedro Munhoz.
Cejudo's return means he'll most probably receive the next title shot, meaning 'Sugar' will have to sit on the sidelines and wait for his chance at gold. Or, he could meet one of the many killers at 135 pounds to keep his standing in the division.