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Soon after picking up a TKO victory against the greatest bantamweight the fight world has ever seen, Henry Cejudo announced his retirement. It was the first time that a fighter had finished Dominick Cruz inside the octagon, and while many might still question referee Keth Peterson's decision, Cejudo's legacy in the bantamweight division, and inside the UFC is unparalleled.
"I may be cringy, corny, but boy can I fight," Cejudo said after his win over Cruz, moments before announcing that he is retiring for good. "Nobody has my resume." and rightfully so. With wins over Demetrius Johnson, Marlon Moraes, TJ Dillashaw, and most recently against Dominicks Cruz, Cejudo is only the second fighter in the history of sports to have defended both the championship belts.
'I am happy with my career. I've done enough in the sport. I want to walk away," Cejudo continues, "I eventually want to start a family."
33-year-old Henry Cejudo is Triple C by all rights, after winning the Olympic gold medal in wrestling, Henry Cejudo brought alive the flyweight and the bantamweight division, by his King of Cringe persona, and from his dominant fighting style inside the octagon. "Since I was 11 years old, I sacrificed my whole life together to get where I am at today," Cejudo followed it up with his final words that still echo in the ears of every fight fan who witnessed the rise of the Triple C. "Triple C is out, you guys don't have to hear my a** no more."
In truth, however, it seemed like Henry Cejudo had left us wanting to know him more, and right at the time when the Triple C cringe had transcended to a brilliant persona that the fans had started adoring, Henry Cejudo left the octagon without prior warning, and amidst an empty arena.
Henry Cejudo was always good, but the world took notice only when the King of Cringe persona came into play. Despite appearing for multiple media interactions before UFC 249, Cejudo kept the word "retirement" out of his mouth.
He may have been on the top of both the flyweight and bantamweight division during his career run, Cejudo never really got the recognition he had envisaged for himself. Cejudo is still relatively young, and while he did proclaim that he has to concentrate on his family going forward, it appeared as if Henry Cejudo wanted to connect to the MMA fans on a different level, a more personal level before making a comeback to the sport in the near future.
Nobody could have seen the retirement coming, in truth, however, Cejudo planned to retire all along. While the entire world was gasping at Justin Gaethje's dominant display against Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight strap, Cejudo swiftly left the UFC octagon.
"There would only be one fight that would really bring me back - that would really wake me up in the morning. Other than [boxer] Ryan Garcia, it would be Alexander Volkanovski."
It is because of his absence that the bantamweight division has found its lost shine. Cejudo brought people to the division either by his Triple C persona that wreaked success or through the King of Cringe who threw pillows during the face-off with Cruz before UFC 249. Despite how much we started to hate the cringe Henry Cejudo brought to the octagon, we immediately fell in love with him after he retired.
Henry Cejudo has become more relevant than he was during his time with the UFC
There were several conclusions that one could have drawn from Henry Cejudo's retirement, the foremost being negotiation disputed with the UFC. Cejudo's pay-out despite the many credentials behind his name was never really enough for the time and effort Cejudo used to put for his continued success inside the octagon. However, it was more about the kind of recognition Cejudo always believed he deserved. He feels that he can achieve it if he becomes the first fighter in the UFC to hold championship belts across three different divisions. Cejudo's call-out of Alexander Volkanovski is a huge pay-day, and so is his boxing bout against the undefeated Ryan Garcia. While his stint at the flyweight and bantamweight division may have gone unnoticed for many years, Cejudo wants the fights fans around the world to take notice going forward.Henry Cejudo manages to stay more relevant than he has ever been
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Cejudo's retirement was how he has managed to stay more relevant than he was during his time with the UFC. Cejudo made a surprise appearance on AEW and has been training hard with Mike Tyson for his anticipated bout against Ryan Garcia in an event both the parties agree for the boxing bout.
His recent appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast revealed a different Henry Cejudo. Somebody who is more poised, and effortlessly funny. The two-and-a-half-hour podcast revealed a much simpler, and humorous Henry Cejudo, who was at best, a down to earth man. While he may have played the guy everybody hated, Henry Cejudo is likable and a breath of fresh air for many fight fans who failed to completely understand Henry Cejudo during his time with the UFC. Truth be told, there may never be another Triple C, and you don't have to hear his "cringy a**" no more.
