Henry Cejudo plans to defeat Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288, defend the title against Sean O’Malley, and then move up to 145 pounds to become the first ever three-division champion in UFC history.
Henry Cejudo’s return from retirement involves more than simply reclaiming the UFC bantamweight title. The 2008 Olympic gold medalist’s ambitious plan starts with defeating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288, followed by defending his title against Sean O’Malley, and finally, making a long-discussed move up to 145 pounds. Ultimately, Cejudo aspires to become the first ever three-division champion in UFC history after being away for three years. He attributes his comeback to feeling confident in his abilities, loving the challenge, and thriving as an underdog.
Despite Cejudo’s dismissive attitude towards Sterling as an opponent, he sees this as a tougher challenge compared to other past champions returning from similar hiatuses, such as Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre. Cejudo also aims to continue fighting without taking lengthy breaks, since he has goals he wants to achieve and acknowledges that time waits for no one in this sport. As Sean O’Malley is already the next No. 1 contender in bantamweight, Cejudo is eager to face him soon and then pursue his ultimate goal of becoming a three-division champion against featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski.
Cejudo regards O’Malley as a privileged brat and is determined to hurt him, and after defeating Sterling, he wants to face O’Malley immediately. He suggests having the fight take place in Boston, O’Malley’s hometown. Cejudo clearly understands the high-profile nature of the fight, given O’Malley’s popularity and drawing power. Upon completing that challenge, Cejudo’s attention will turn to Volkanovski, an opponent he’s been considering even before retiring in 2020. Cejudo envisions himself dominating both Sterling and O’Malley, but ultimately wants the featherweight strap and a place on the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) mountain.