Pedro Munhoz doesn’t think the fight game will get another run of “Triple C.”
Munhoz, a UFC bantamweight contender, doubts former 135-pound champion Henry Cejudo will return to MMA after having abruptly retired last month. Cejudo vacated his belt and walked away from the sport after defending his title against Dominick Cruz in the co-main event of UFC 249.
Cejudo, 33, retired from the sport to focus on his personal life, but he also mentioned his desire to be better compensated as a factor into his decision. Cejudo left the sport as the last person to hold both the UFC flyweight and bantamweight titles. He defeated Cruz, Marlon Moraes, T..J. Dillashaw, and Demetrious Johnson in his last four fights.
Munhoz (18-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) thinks Cejudo made the right call to leave the sport on top.
“I don’t think he’s coming back,” Munhoz told MMA Junkie. “He made a decision, you know, and if you’re able to retire with two belts – flyweight and bantamweight – it was definitely a big accomplishment besides being an Olympic world champion.
“So to each his own, but I think he made the right decision to retire with two titles, champion in two divisions, plus all the title and being an Olympic champion. I think he made the right decision, but now it’s our time to fight and see who fights for the title.”
Munhoz believes Cejudo’s absence will sit well in the 135-pound division, especially for the fighters climbing up the rankings.
“Without a doubt,” Munhoz said. “I would’ve been mad if I would’ve won my last fight, because I’d be in Aljamain’s spot right now – going to fight for the title or not, one more fight. So I think for those guys it’s kind of unfair in the situation that (Cejudo) wanted to get the bigger names.
“I think right now, with the fact that he retired, things opened up even though I think some of the stuff was not fair regarding the (vacant) title fight. I still believe that the right fight to do was Petr (Yan) and Aljamain (Sterling), so we’re going to see what’s going to happen.”
The vacant belt is up for grabs in a bout between former featherweight champ Jose Aldo and Petr Yan on July 11 at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi. Munhoz will also compete on that card, welcoming ex-lightweight champ Frankie Edgar to the 135-pound division.
Pedro Munhoz thinks Henry Cejudo will stay retired: 'He made the right decision'
