On Friday morning, RAF made a major announced that Henry Cejudo is set to return to wrestling, facing Urijah Faber. Cejudo vs. Faber will headline RAF 06, which takes place at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 28.
RAF confirmed on Tuesday that Cejudo signed with the promotion and will compete in February. At the time, they had not named an opponent.
RAF 06 will mark Cejudo’s first competitive bout since retiring from MMA. He retired after his loss to Payton Talbott at UFC 323. Even though he ended his career with a loss, ‘Triple C’ will likely be a heavy favorite.
Cejudo holds the experience advantage. He won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before starting his MMA career. Faber, on the other hand, has stayed active in grappling matches since retiring from MMA.
It is unclear whether Cejudo’s matchup is a one-time deal or if he plans to wrestle for RAF full-time.
RAF offers fighters another outlet to stay active and earn money between bouts. The promotion has already featured Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal, and Yoel Romero. Several wrestlers with Olympic and NCAA experience also compete in RAF.
Urijah Faber Praised Henry Cejudo After His Retirement Fight at UFC 323
Urijah Faber recently praised Henry Cejudo following his loss to Payton Talbott in his retirement fight at UFC 323. He was among the many fighters and analysts who congratulated Cejudo on a career worthy of the Hall of Famer.
During an interview with The Schmo, Faber highlighted Cejudo’s toughness and competitiveness. ‘The California Kid’ said that facing a rising contender in his final bout made ‘Triple C’ even more impressive.
Despite the loss, Faber believes Cejudo left the sport with his credibility intact. The former two-division UFC champion, he says, earned even more respect.
“I feel like without a doubt Cejudo is one of the best combat athletes of all time. He did it his own way, he was a guy that wasn’t afraid to be different and not care what people think,” Faber said. “Every interaction I’ve ever had with him has been kind. He’s been a very kind and a true champion inside and outside the octagon.”
Faber Praises Cejudo for Opponent Selections
Faber also praised Cejudo for consistently facing top competition at the end of his career. After failing to regain the bantamweight championship in his return fight, ‘Triple C’ fought Merab Dvalishvili.
Next, Cejudo faced rising contender Song Yadong, who trains under Faber at Team Alpha Male. Finally, the former two-division UFC champion met Talbott in his retirement bout.
Cejudo never avoided tough matchups. Even when he was bantamweight champion, he pushed to defend his title against former featherweight champion Jose Aldo.
Faber says that made the end of his career impressive. ‘The California Kid’ insisted that ‘Triple C’s MMA legacy is stronger because of it.
“I’m glad [Cejudo] went out not shielding his record and going into a little bit the twilight years of his career because that’s a true competitor,” Faber told The Schmo. “That’s somebody that you can’t take away anything even with a loss.”
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