5 UFC superstars who wasted their prime years

#4. Roger Huerta – Former UFC lightweight contender

Back in 2007, Roger Huerta was practically the hottest fighter in the UFC

Lightweight prospect Roger Huerta was arguably the hottest fighter on the UFC roster in 2007. 'El Matador' debuted in the octagon in late 2006 and quickly rose to fame with a series of high-octane, exciting victories.

Huerta faced some criticism over the fact that, in the eyes of some fans, the UFC was padding his record to push him as a star. However, there was no denying that the approach was working. When he defeated longtime contender Clay Guida to end the year, 'El Matador' looked like a genuine title contender.

Roger Huerta vs. Clay Guida pic.twitter.com/Wo8YBnMVx6

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) April 9, 2020

Soon after that, though, things went south. Huerta apparently realized his worth as a potential star for the UFC and reportedly demanded a bigger contract from the promotion. Unsurprisingly, the UFC balked.

That meant that Huerta – who’d seemingly been fighting every other month since his UFC debut, making five octagon appearances in 2007 – sat out for eight months following the Guida fight. He then lost in a tricky bout with Kenny Florian.

If the UFC were hoping that the loss would bring Huerta down to earth, they were mistaken. ‘El Matador’ then sat out for the remainder of 2008 before announcing that he was taking an indefinite hiatus from MMA to pursue a career in acting.

Huerta eventually returned to the UFC in September 2009 but lost to Gray Maynard in the final fight on his deal. He simply didn’t look like the same fighter he once was – and a subsequent run in Bellator also saw him flame out quickly.

Essentially, had Huerta continued to compete in the UFC while he had momentum behind him, he could well have reached the top. Unfortunately, his decisions meant that he failed to live up to his lofty potential.

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#3. Henry Cejudo – Former UFC flyweight & bantamweight champion

Henry Cejudo could've achieved even more in the UFC had he not retired in his prime

One of just a handful of fighters to simultaneously hold two UFC titles in different weight classes, it’s fair to say that Henry Cejudo should be recognized as an all-time great in the promotion.

However, could the 2008 Olympic gold medalist have achieved even more? Absolutely – meaning that it’s hard not to feel like he’s wasted his prime years.

Cejudo put together a UFC record of 6-2 before upsetting Demetrious Johnson to win the UFC flyweight title in 2018. After destroying reigning UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in his first defense, he then defeated Marlon Moraes for the title that Dillashaw vacated just five months later.

Three years ago today, I dethroned that man who had the longest wining longest streak in UFC history. It wasn’t the streak that was important to me but the fact that I avenged loss to the man who knocked me out in 2:36min of round one. 🐀 🪤 #hetookthecheese pic.twitter.com/09H6pxklP1

— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) August 4, 2021

‘Triple C’ impressively defended that title at UFC 249, knocking out former UFC bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz, but afterward, he stunned everyone by declaring his retirement from MMA.

The announcement came from nowhere, particularly as Cejudo had already talked up potential future bouts with the likes of Jose Aldo and Alexander Volkanovski. He was also 33 years old and in his athletic prime.

Most fans felt that his “retirement” was simply a ploy to force the UFC to pay him more – but over a year later, he still hasn’t returned to action. And even if he does now, there’s no guarantee he’ll be the same fighter.

Essentially, it’s probably safe to suggest that if Cejudo wanted more money from the UFC, he’d have been better off continuing to smash opponents inside the octagon to force their hand, cementing himself further as an all-time great.

As it is, it feels like he’ll go down as one of the UFC’s ultimate “what if?” questions, as his prime is likely to be wasted.