Flashback Fight: Watch Henry Cejudo’s UFC debut; Is Dominick Cruz next?

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Flashback Fight: Watch Henry Cejudo’s UFC debut; Is Dominick Cruz next?


On Aug. 4, 2018, Henry Cejudo did the unthinkable. He knocked off flyweight titleholder Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, one of the most dominant champions in UFC history.

The Olympic gold medalist from the 2008 Beijing Games, Cejudo had to stumble through back-to-back losses to Johnson and Joseph Benavidez. Following the split-decision loss to Benavidez, Cejudo has since been on a five-fight tear, which included the upset of Johnson. Mighty Mouse left the UFC following that loss, inking a deal with the Singapore-based fight organization ONE Championship.

Cejudo only gained momentum in the Octagon after taking the UFC flyweight belt. He defended the 125-pound title in his next fight, taking out former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw with a blistering 32-second knockout.

Following the victory over Dillashaw, Cejudo backed up all his boasting with third-round knockout of Marlon Moraes to capture the vacant bantamweight belt. The 135-pound title was vacated by Dillashaw after he tested positive to EPO and was handed a two-year suspension following his loss to Cejudo. 

The win over Moraes made Cejudo just the fourth fighter in UFC history to hold championship belts in two divisions simultaneously.

Henry Cejudo’s UFC debut

That all makes Cejudo’s UFC debut feel like a lifetime ago.

In actuality, his Octagon debut took place at UFC on FOX 13 in December of 2014. Cejudo squared off in his first UFC about opposite Dustin Kimura, a bout that took place in the bantamweight division.

It was a fight that continued Cejudo’s undefeated streak, which ran to 10-0 before his first loss in the cage.

Henry Cejudo’s next fight

Though Cejudo was forced to relinquish the UFC flyweight title, he remains the UFC bantamweight champion. Though the bout has yet to be signed, it appears that Cejudo will put the 135-pound title on the line opposite former champion Dominick Cruz in the latest revamp of the UFC 249 fight card, which is now expected to take place on May 9. A location has yet to be revealed.


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(Video courtesy of UFC)

Flashback Fight: Watch Henry Cejudo’s UFC debut; Is Dominick Cruz next?