MMA
How Henry Cejudo Went From Gold Medal to Double Champ in the UFC
Henry Cejudo made history by becoming a UFC double champ, holding both the flyweight and bantamweight titles simultaneously. From winning Olympic gold in wrestling to dominating two divisions in MMA, Cejudo's journey is a testament to his unparalleled skill and determination. Find out how he rose to the top and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history.
Henry Cejudo//Getty Images
In the world of combat sports, very few athletes have achieved the level of success that Henry Cejudo has.
From the wrestling mats of the Olympics to the bright lights of the UFC Octagon, Cejudo’s journey to the pinnacle of MMA has been nothing short of spectacular. No matter what happens now in his career, he will always be ranked with some of the elite names to claim double champ status like Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier.
His Journey to the Gold Medal in Wrestling
Nick Simmons and Henry Cejudo//Getty Images
Before stepping into the Octagon, Henry Cejudo had already carved his name into the history books of combat sports. At just 21 years old, he became the youngest American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal, triumphing in the 55kg freestyle category at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Cejudo and Satoshi Ishii are the only people to have won a gold medal at the Olympics and then transition to MMA. Ronda Rousey and Yoel Romero are two fighters that have also won medals at the Olympics, but they had to settle for Bronze and Silver.
This victory was not just a personal milestone but a symbol of hope and perseverance for many, as Cejudo, the son of undocumented Mexican immigrants, rose from humble beginnings to achieve something remarkable.
The Successful Transition to MMA
Henry Cejudo and Dustin Kimura//Getty Images
After the Olympics, Cejudo turned his attention to MMA, bringing with him a world-class wrestling pedigree. His transition was not without challenges; despite a stellar amateur wrestling background, MMA required him to develop striking, jiu-jitsu, and other combat skills.
Cejudo made his professional MMA debut in 2013 and quickly established himself as a rising star going 10-0.
By 2014, he had signed with the UFC where he competed in the flyweight division. Early in his UFC career, Cejudo faced adversity, including a title fight loss to the long-reigning champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson in 2016.
Henry Cejudo’s Journey to the Flyweight & Bantamweight Championship
Henry Cejudo celebrating//Getty Images
In August 2018, Cejudo shocked the world by defeating Johnson in a rematch at UFC 227. The split decision victory ended Johnson’s nearly six-year reign as the UFC flyweight champion, making Cejudo the new king of the division. This win was a watershed moment in Cejudo’s career, as he became one of the few fighters to dethrone a champion widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. From this moment, Cejudo would only improve in every aspect of the fight game.
The champ successfully defended his belt against TJ Dillashaw making easy work of an elite fighter by knocking him out inside a minute of the first round. This prompted Cejudo to jump up to bantamweight to chase a second UFC title.
At UFC 238, Cejudo won the vacant 135-pounds title against Marlon Moraes, and this is where his nickname “Triple C” came from; he is a triple champion having claimed double champ status in the UFC along with his gold medal in the Olympics.
The Mexican-American had one successful defence of his bantamweight title before temporarily retiring in 2020. Cejudo expressed that he had achieved everything he set out to do in combat sports and was ready to move on to the next chapter of his life. But, he has since returned to action in 2023 losing two close decisions against the (then) bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili.
Nowadays, Cejudo is also heavily involved in analysing fights and acting as a coach for other upcoming fighters and even current UFC fighters, thus highlighting how highly regarded he is in mixed martial arts.
Henry Cejudo’s journey from Olympic gold to UFC double champion in the space of a little over a decade is a narrative that may never be repeated again in the game.
Jake Staniland is a sports writer who excels in covering a wide range of sports: football, combat sports and the NFL - All three subjects are his lifelong passions.
Jake is a boyhood Sheffield United fan, which is often a curse that he thanks his family for. His favourite Blades player ever is Billy Sharp