Henry Cejudo makes huge impact in UFC debut
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo has never backed away from setting lofty goals.
Three days after putting on a dazzling display in his Ultimate Fighting Championships debut, the charismatic and confident Cejudo didn’t shy away from what goals he is pursuing.
“Absolutely, I want to be the best in the World in mixed martial arts,” he said. “I want to be known as one of the toughest athletes of all-time. I want to have an Olympic gold medal and a UFC championship belt.”
Cejudo, 27, now 7-0 in his mixed martial arts career, relied on a punishing, strike-heavy approach on his feet to dominate Dustin Kimura in his UFC debut on Saturday afternoon at Phoenix’s U.S. Airways Center.
Cejudo, who defeated Kimura by unanimous decision, said he felt comfortable stepping into the UFC Octagon for the first time.
“I’ve obviously competed on a big stage before in wrestling, and that helped me tremendously,” he said. “The transition from wrestling to MMA has been really smooth. I was really focused. I was ready, I was excited. I have just grown and matured so much.”
Cejudo did virtually no wrestling in his win over Kimura, relying primarily on a relentless punching attack from his feet. Cejudo boxed competitively briefly after he became the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. history at age 21 in 2008.
“We used to box quite a bit in our neighborhood when I was growing up,” Cejudo said. “We were poor and didn’t have any money – we had to fight to survive. I lived in the ghetto and I had to fight as a kid so I wouldn’t get bullied. My whole life has been a fight. I always knew at some point that learning how to fight would amount to something.”
Cejudo earned high praise from veteran UFC television analyst Joe Rogan for his boxing and his overall MMA skill set on Saturday. Cejudo knocked Kimura down with a straight right-hand shot early in the fight and then pounced on his opponent with a flurry of punches to take command.
“I felt real comfortable on my feet,” he said. “I didn’t attempt a takedown in the first or second round. I could’ve put him on the ground at any time, but I never really tried to. I’m a well-rounded fighter. I can obviously wrestle, but I can punch, I can throw knees and elbows, and I can connect with some kicks.”
So what is the biggest difference between wrestling and MMA?
“Guys are coming in there looking to take your head off and knock you out,” Cejudo said with a laugh. “When you get punched and get kicked, it pisses you off – it makes your blood boil. Fortunately, I did most of the punching and kicking in my last fight.”
Cejudo said he spoke briefly with 2008 Olympic teammate Daniel Cormier before his fight on Saturday.
Cormier is scheduled to face champion Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title on Jan. 3 in Las Vegas. Cormier was in Phoenix for the UFC event doing television commentary for Fox Sports on Saturday.
“Daniel came into the locker room and talked to me, and we joked around a little bit,” Cejudo said. “I’m excited to see that fight between him and Jon Jones. They are both wrestlers. Jon Jones may have an edge because of his experience in MMA, but Cormier definitely has a chance to win. It’s going to be a great fight.”
Cejudo said he still follows the sport of wrestling closely and plans to be in Las Vegas next year when the U.S. hosts the World Championships.
“Having the Worlds back in the U.S., it’s going to be a great event,” he said. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
One of Cejudo’s coaches is Thom Ortiz, the former head wrestling coach at Arizona State who now works with MMA fighters.
“Tommy has helped me tremendously,” Cejudo said. “He’s one of my main coaches. I’ve known him for a long time. He recruited me to wrestle at Arizona State. He’s done such a good job with me, and he’s helped me continue to develop my skill set. He’s a stand-up guy who is very supportive. He reminds me that wrestling is my base and what made me who I am.”
Cejudo fought in the bantamweight division at 135 pounds on Saturday. He pulled out of an earlier scheduled UFC fight after being unable to drop down to 125 pounds in the flyweight division.
“I’m comfortable at the weight class I just fought in, but I want another shot at getting down to 125,” he said. “I know I can make 125. I am very thick now, and I like feeling very lean when I compete. We weigh in 24 hours before a fight, and I am very good at recovering. I have to work on my nutrition and just keep my focus.”
Cejudo elected not to wrestle in college as he chose instead to come to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as a high school junior to pursue his Olympic dream in freestyle wrestling.
Cejudo, who lives in Phoenix, has gone to college though. He said he’s scheduled to graduate from Grand Canyon University in May with a bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies. He said he plans to pursue his master’s degree after that.
“Believe it or not, I’m going to have a college degree,” he said. “I’ve worked hard in school, and that’s something that is very important to me.”
Cejudo’s UFC debut came in his hometown of Phoenix.
“It was a really awesome experience,” he said. “I fought pretty early in the day, in one of the first fights, but a lot of people still came out to see me and support me. That meant a lot to me. It feels good to compete again and display what I’ve worked so hard for.”
Cejudo said his days as an elite wrestler have prepared him for the battles in mixed martial arts.
“I hope nobody takes offense to this, but I think wrestling is a lot tougher than MMA,” he said. “When you become the best in the World in wrestling, you’re the best in the World. This isn’t two, three events. The Olympics are once every four years.
“Wrestling is the toughest sport in the World. It’s a grind, and it’s very hard. It’s a great sport with almost 200 countries competing in it. I wouldn’t be able to do any of what I’m doing right now without wrestling.”
For now, Cejudo’s focus is entirely on the UFC.
“I’m going to take this week off and then decide what’s going to happen next,” he said. “I want to fight again as soon as possible. I’m ready to get back in there and compete again. I can’t wait.”
Three days after putting on a dazzling display in his Ultimate Fighting Championships debut, the charismatic and confident Cejudo didn’t shy away from what goals he is pursuing.
“Absolutely, I want to be the best in the World in mixed martial arts,” he said. “I want to be known as one of the toughest athletes of all-time. I want to have an Olympic gold medal and a UFC championship belt.”
Cejudo, 27, now 7-0 in his mixed martial arts career, relied on a punishing, strike-heavy approach on his feet to dominate Dustin Kimura in his UFC debut on Saturday afternoon at Phoenix’s U.S. Airways Center.
Cejudo, who defeated Kimura by unanimous decision, said he felt comfortable stepping into the UFC Octagon for the first time.
“I’ve obviously competed on a big stage before in wrestling, and that helped me tremendously,” he said. “The transition from wrestling to MMA has been really smooth. I was really focused. I was ready, I was excited. I have just grown and matured so much.”
Cejudo did virtually no wrestling in his win over Kimura, relying primarily on a relentless punching attack from his feet. Cejudo boxed competitively briefly after he became the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. history at age 21 in 2008.
“We used to box quite a bit in our neighborhood when I was growing up,” Cejudo said. “We were poor and didn’t have any money – we had to fight to survive. I lived in the ghetto and I had to fight as a kid so I wouldn’t get bullied. My whole life has been a fight. I always knew at some point that learning how to fight would amount to something.”
Cejudo earned high praise from veteran UFC television analyst Joe Rogan for his boxing and his overall MMA skill set on Saturday. Cejudo knocked Kimura down with a straight right-hand shot early in the fight and then pounced on his opponent with a flurry of punches to take command.
“I felt real comfortable on my feet,” he said. “I didn’t attempt a takedown in the first or second round. I could’ve put him on the ground at any time, but I never really tried to. I’m a well-rounded fighter. I can obviously wrestle, but I can punch, I can throw knees and elbows, and I can connect with some kicks.”
So what is the biggest difference between wrestling and MMA?
“Guys are coming in there looking to take your head off and knock you out,” Cejudo said with a laugh. “When you get punched and get kicked, it pisses you off – it makes your blood boil. Fortunately, I did most of the punching and kicking in my last fight.”
Cejudo said he spoke briefly with 2008 Olympic teammate Daniel Cormier before his fight on Saturday.
Cormier is scheduled to face champion Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title on Jan. 3 in Las Vegas. Cormier was in Phoenix for the UFC event doing television commentary for Fox Sports on Saturday.
“Daniel came into the locker room and talked to me, and we joked around a little bit,” Cejudo said. “I’m excited to see that fight between him and Jon Jones. They are both wrestlers. Jon Jones may have an edge because of his experience in MMA, but Cormier definitely has a chance to win. It’s going to be a great fight.”
Cejudo said he still follows the sport of wrestling closely and plans to be in Las Vegas next year when the U.S. hosts the World Championships.
“Having the Worlds back in the U.S., it’s going to be a great event,” he said. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
One of Cejudo’s coaches is Thom Ortiz, the former head wrestling coach at Arizona State who now works with MMA fighters.
“Tommy has helped me tremendously,” Cejudo said. “He’s one of my main coaches. I’ve known him for a long time. He recruited me to wrestle at Arizona State. He’s done such a good job with me, and he’s helped me continue to develop my skill set. He’s a stand-up guy who is very supportive. He reminds me that wrestling is my base and what made me who I am.”
Cejudo fought in the bantamweight division at 135 pounds on Saturday. He pulled out of an earlier scheduled UFC fight after being unable to drop down to 125 pounds in the flyweight division.
“I’m comfortable at the weight class I just fought in, but I want another shot at getting down to 125,” he said. “I know I can make 125. I am very thick now, and I like feeling very lean when I compete. We weigh in 24 hours before a fight, and I am very good at recovering. I have to work on my nutrition and just keep my focus.”
Cejudo elected not to wrestle in college as he chose instead to come to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as a high school junior to pursue his Olympic dream in freestyle wrestling.
Cejudo, who lives in Phoenix, has gone to college though. He said he’s scheduled to graduate from Grand Canyon University in May with a bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies. He said he plans to pursue his master’s degree after that.
“Believe it or not, I’m going to have a college degree,” he said. “I’ve worked hard in school, and that’s something that is very important to me.”
Cejudo’s UFC debut came in his hometown of Phoenix.
“It was a really awesome experience,” he said. “I fought pretty early in the day, in one of the first fights, but a lot of people still came out to see me and support me. That meant a lot to me. It feels good to compete again and display what I’ve worked so hard for.”
Cejudo said his days as an elite wrestler have prepared him for the battles in mixed martial arts.
“I hope nobody takes offense to this, but I think wrestling is a lot tougher than MMA,” he said. “When you become the best in the World in wrestling, you’re the best in the World. This isn’t two, three events. The Olympics are once every four years.
“Wrestling is the toughest sport in the World. It’s a grind, and it’s very hard. It’s a great sport with almost 200 countries competing in it. I wouldn’t be able to do any of what I’m doing right now without wrestling.”
For now, Cejudo’s focus is entirely on the UFC.
“I’m going to take this week off and then decide what’s going to happen next,” he said. “I want to fight again as soon as possible. I’m ready to get back in there and compete again. I can’t wait.”
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