Olympic champion and former two-division UFC titleholder Henry Cejudo has announced that he will not retire from MMA following his UFC 298 loss to Merab Dvalishvili, despite previously stating that the bout was all-or-nothing for him.
Henry Cejudo’s made up his mind. The Olympic champ and ex-UFC titleholder dropped a bombshell on his YouTube channel last Friday. He’s not hanging up his gloves after his UFC 298 defeat to Merab Dvalishvili, despite his earlier claims that the fight was a do-or-die situation.
“I can’t let it end this way. I just can’t,” Cejudo confessed. He’s hurting, alright. He’s not denying the loss. But it’s the way he lost that’s eating him up. The exhaustion, the missed opportunity to knock Dvalishvili out, all because he was too spent. That’s what’s gnawing at him.
He was all set to announce his retirement. He’d even filmed a heartfelt video thanking everyone who’d supported him. But then he started talking to some of the legends of the sport. Daniel Cormier, Quinton ‘Rampage’, and others. They made him rethink his decision.
He’d fought the best in the world, Aljamain Sterling, and lost by a hair’s breadth. He’d gone up against Dvalishvili, another top contender, and lost. But he’d underestimated Dvalishvili, just like Sean O’Malley and ‘Chito’ Vera had. He’d thought Dvalishvili was sloppy, but it was a different story once they were in the ring.
Dvalishvili’s strength wasn’t his knockout power or his accuracy. It was his relentless pace, his ability to keep going without draining his energy. Cejudo admitted, “He got me. I take the L. But I can’t let it end like this. I just can’t.”
Cejudo, now 37, was outmatched and outlasted by Dvalishvili at UFC 298. It was a grueling 15-minute bout that saw Cejudo yield five takedowns to Dvalishvili. The latter even lifted Cejudo above his head and ran across the cage, a move reminiscent of Matt Hughes’ legendary rematch against Frank Trigg in 2005.
This was Cejudo’s most significant loss since his first-round knockout by Demetrious Johnson in 2016. He’s been doing a lot of soul-searching since, especially considering his decision to return from a three-year retirement. He’d initially retired in 2020 after defeating Dominick Cruz, becoming one of only two fighters to defend UFC belts in two different weight classes.
“I probably should’ve never come back,” Cejudo admitted. He’d retired on top, having achieved everything he’d set out to do. There was no motivation to return. But now that he’s back, he’s got to deal with the consequences. And he’s not ready to go out like this.
“So here I am, taking back my word,” Cejudo declared. He’s not ready to bow out yet. Not like this. And as far as he’s concerned, the Triple C’s story is far from over.
You can watch Cejudo’s full announcement below.