Henry Cejudo issues statement after UFC removes champion status

Henry Cejudo is no longer the UFC bantamweight champion.

Sunday, Cejudo (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) was removed from the championship slot on the official UFC rankings. One day later, the Olympic gold medalist issued a statement on Twitter – his first as a former UFC champion.

In the statement, Cejudo thanked UFC president Dana White, his coaches and the fans:

“Thank you for the awesome experiences uncle @DanaWhite. I will forever be grateful. Thank you for taking a chance on the sport that people thought would never make it. To all my coaches and fans it been a wonderful ride. Triple C is out.”

Cejudo announced his retirement after he successfully defended his bantamweight title for the first time with a second-round TKO win over Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 earlier this month, shocking the world by revealing his unexpected decision.

“I’m happy with my career. I’ve done enough in the sport. I want to walk away,” Cejudo said. “I want to enjoy myself. I’m 33 years old – I have a girl now who’s watching back home. I eventually want to start a family. Since I was 11 years old, I sacrificed my whole life to get where I’m at today. I’m not going to let nobody take that from me. So I’m retiring tonight. I’m 33 years old. I’m happy with my career. Uncle Dana (White), I want to say thank you for everything. You’re the man. … Thank you so much, but ‘Triple C’s’ out. You guys don’t have to hear my ass no more.”

The announcement was so surprising, many questioned if it was simply a negotiating tactic or the latest quirky addition to Cejudo’s “King of Cringe” character. Alas, Cejudo doubled down at the post-fight press conference and affirmed UFC 249 was the end of his competitive MMA journey.

However, in a recent interview, Cejudo’s manager Ali Abdelaziz contradicted his client’s claims. Abelaziz said he expects Cejudo to fight again.

“Henry’s got everybody on their knees right now,” Abdelaziz said. “I don’t think he’s gonna retire. You’re gonna see him fight by this summer. This is what I think.”