UFC 249 - Henry Cejudo says goodbye after a stellar performance against Dominick Cruz
Olympic Gold Medalist, former UFC flyweight champion, and now former UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo put the MMA world on its ear. "Triple C" announced after upending Dominick Cruz he's walking away from the sport.
Cejudo retires on a 6 fight win streak. His game plan against arguably the best at 135 in Cruz worked from the get-go chopping his legs slowing the quicker man down. Dominick still came at him from every angle. Once Cruz started to figure Cejudo out he was able to land a little more effective strikes.
The duo clashed heads which opened up a cut along Cejudo's hairline on the right side of his head. Soon after the restart near the fence Henry landed a homerun type right knee to Dominick's face. It stung Cruz as he went down to the mat, and Cejudo went down after him. The champion got off almost a dozen unanswered shots before referee Keith Peterson jumped in to stop it. As he did Dominick immediately argued, pleading his case he was working on getting up.
"Triple C" delivers a shocker in the post-fight interview
It's just the 2nd time in his career he was finished. The 1st time being in 2007 versus Urijah Faber. The loss which was his 2nd in a row stung none-the-less. While being interviewed by Joe Rogan, is when Cejudo dropped the shocking news.
Instead of continuing the "Cringe King" gimmick and making another call out, he thanked Dana White, the UFC staff, said he has a girl now and wants to soon start a family and he was done. His coach Eric Albarracin said something seemed different this week with Henry, although even he expected another call out.
The thought is if Dana was to add a couple of more zeroes to a pay check it would be hard for him to truly walk away. If he's really done, does he leave as he says he is; the greatest combat sports athlete of all time? He has a solid case for it. Or at least being in the conversation.
If he is done, it also leaves the UFC with another champion-less division. With every fighter just about itching to fight now, it could even possibly lead to a mini tournament for a new 135 strap holder.