"Aljo has not said that he's hurt" – Chael Sonnen is not sold on the potential Sean O'Malley vs. Henry Cejudo interim title matchup

Henry Cejudo has been angling for an interim title fight against Sean O'Malley as bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling shared that he will take a break until June. Former UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen recently weighed in on the potential bantamweight interim title fight.

Speaking on his podcast, Beyond the Fight, Sonnen stated:

"If 'Aljo' is not going to be here for a while and we do have to get on with it, okay fine, 'Sugar' Sean versus Henry would be very interesting for the interim belt, but is that the spot that we're at? I can't tell you I'd like to see that fight... unless I know 'Aljo' is, in fact, out. We're doing an interim championship, and Aljo has not said that he's hurt."

Sonnen noted that Sterling has simply shared that he needs a vacation. He added that 'Sugar' might skip the queue since he's the No.1-ranked contender after beating Petr Yan at UFC 280:

"I'm just going to repeat to you what I thought we had already agreed to do with Sean [O'Malley], which is if Sean wins the [Yan] fight, he advances to the finals. He's going to take on whoever wins between 'Aljo' and Dillashaw. That's what I was told; that's what I believe. If that plan has been interrupted, I want to be told that."

It remains to be seen how the bantamweight title picture will play out. While Cejudo has thrown his name into the gauntlet, it is unclear if he will receive an interim title fight.

Watch Chael Sonnen discuss Henry Cejudo and Sean O'Malley below:

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Sean O'Malley believes Henry Cejudo left the UFC in hopes of a better contract

Henry Cejudo retired from the UFC in 2020 after defending his bantamweight title. With the former double champ announcing his desire to return, No.1-ranked bantamweight Sean O'Malley believes his retirement was a negotiating tactic to receive a better contract from the UFC.

Speaking on his podcast, TimboSugarShow, O'Malley claimed that Cejudo's lack of drawing power led to his retirement:

"It's weird being all the accolades he has, he's not a draw and that's the reason he left. He wasn't getting paid what he 'deserved' so he thought maybe he would leave and the UFC would want him back and they didn't so now he kind of shot himself in the foot."

O'Malley is not the first person to suggest that Cejudo's retirement was in hopes of a better UFC contract. While it is unclear if there is any validity to these claims, it is hard to deny that Cejudo's talent and accolades make him worthy of an interim title opportunity.

Watch Sean O'Malley discuss Henry Cejudo's drawing power below (starting at the 25:50 mark):