Henry Cejudo recently opened up about the bittersweet end to his legendary career. Cejudo lost a unanimous decision to Payton Talbott in his retirement fight at UFC 323 last Saturday.
Despite the loss, Cejudo was praised for his grit and resilience. Following the fight, ‘Triple C’ thanked the fans and the promotion for giving him the opportunity. That was followed by a video tribute showcasing his career highlights as he exited the octagon for the final time.
Now that it has set in that his fighting career is over, Cejudo reflected on how he felt physically. He initially retired in 2020 while in the prime of his career. ‘Triple C’ returned in 2023 but lost all four of his bouts.
During the latest episode of his podcast, Pound 4 Pound, Cejudo spoke candidly about the challenges he faced. He admitted that he didn’t have the same pace he did in 2020. However, he wanted to continue fighting through it and not give up.
“I’m a Ferrari but upon my retirement, bro, I had a Honda engine. I could not recover, I did not understand my threshold, my pace,” Cejudo said. “So, I was kind of forced to fight, but I just did not want to go out, dude. I’m like, ‘No, man, I’m going to fight this to the very end.’”
He continued:
“I could see sometimes why fighters curl up to see the ending, I refuse to go out like that.”
Henry Cejudo Says He is Satisfied With His Career
Although Henry Cejudo was criticized for retiring in 2020 before returning in 2023, he remains satisfied with his career.
Before transitioning into MMA, Cejudo won an Olympic gold medal in wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was a standout wrestler, giving him a perfect base for MMA.
The former two-division UFC champion defeated a who’s who of legends, including Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw, and Dominick Cruz.
Speaking with co-host Kamaru Usman on Pound 4 Pound, Cejudo said that he is proud of his career. ‘Triple C’ feels that he fulfilled everything he set out to achieve and has no regrets about his decision.
“I feel good with the decision, this is final. I’ve always had satisfaction with my career. I became a two-division [UFC] champ, Olympic gold medalist. Like, everything I set out to do, I did,” Cejudo said. “There’s nothing else really for me to go out there and really put that chip on my shoulder.”
Cejudo Reveals Post-Retirement Plans
Cejudo also revealed what he will be devoting his time to now that he is officially retired from competition.
Although he isn’t competing anymore, Cejudo plans to stay involved in combat sports. After his previous retirement, he earned an excellent reputation for his coaching abilities. Several former champions, including Jon Jones, Weili Zhang, and Deiveson Figueiredo, spent time training with him at his gym.
Cejudo said that he is excited about the additional time he will have with his family. However, ‘Triple C’ still intends to give back to the next generation of fighters in a coaching and mentorship capacity.
“I’m happy honestly my career is over,” Cejudo told Usman on Pound 4 Pound. “I’m able to spend time with my family, my kids. And then, just help out the future generations, man.”
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