Henry Cejudo had a big 2019, starting the year as one of the newest champions on the UFC roster and finishing it as one of the promotion’s most decorated stars.
After dethroning Demetrious Johnson in August 2018 to claim the UFC flyweight title, Olympic gold medalist Cejudo kicked off 2019 by defending his 125-pound belt with a stunning finish of then-bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw on Jan. 19.
Then, after Dillashaw was stripped of his 135-pound title for testing positive for that fight, Cejudo went on to face Brazil’s Marlon Moraes for the newly-vacant UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 238 on Jun. 8.
In the fight itself, Cejudo showed the world his fighting heart – and his ability to switch gears – as, after finding himself on the receiving end during the early part of the fight, he came storming back to register one of the best comeback wins of the year. It meant Cejudo captured the vacant UFC bantamweight title to become a “champ champ” and led him to rebrand himself as “Triple C” – Olympic champion, UFC flyweight champion and UFC bantamweight champion.
Before the end of the year, Cejudo relinquished his flyweight belt, but it didn’t take the shine off a career-best year for “The Messenger,” and he now looks to build on his growing star power in the UFC in 2020 as the reigning UFC bantamweight king.
Check out the best pics of Cejudo’s outstanding year via the gallery below.
MMA Junkie's 2019 in pictures: Henry Cejudo transforms from flyweight champ to 'Triple C'
