Henry Cejudo plans to walk away from the sport for good this weekend in Las Vegas, marking what he says will be his final appearance.
Given that he has already retired once before only to return a few years later, many fans were not surprised by the scepticism around his latest announcement.
Since returning in 2023, Cejudo has lost three straight fights, and there is a growing sense that retirement is inevitable no matter who he faces next.
He is set to face Payton Talbott in what will be his final fight. It is a big chance for the young bantamweight to make a name for himself against a well-known opponent, even if ‘Triple C’ is no longer at his peak.
However, one elusive fight remains on Cejudo’s bucket list, a bout he is still eager to pursue, even if it requires him to prematurely end another retirement.
Henry Cejudo eyes Brandon Moreno bout for Cinco de Mayo
Cejudo stepped up to bantamweight after defending his flyweight belt against TJ Dillashaw, and he has stayed in that division ever since.
But there was always a potential fight that never came together – one that could have brought a top name from 125 pounds up to face the 38-year-old.
If the UFC ever wanted to put it together, Cejudo told MMA Fighting he would be more than willing to come back.
This Saturday at UFC 323, the former two-weight world champion shares the card with Brandon Moreno. The two were once close friends but have grown apart over time.
Their relationship fell apart after Moreno entered the UFC through ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ Despite their history, Moreno was not picked for Team Cejudo, and things were never the same after that.
In 2023, following his unsuccessful challenge for the bantamweight title, Moreno called out Cejudo and urged him not to retire so they could “finish business”.
Cejudo discussed the upcoming December 6 bouts for both fighters, suggesting a potential Cinco de Mayo fight with Moreno. He also mentioned the possibility of the two fighters being seated together at this week’s press conference for UFC 323.
“I don’t know. I doubt it but it is what it is. This is some of the stuff that happens. It happened a long time ago. That’s also the beauty too… Sometimes that’s the way the journey is made. It’s not always a happy ending,” he said to MMA Fighting.
Henry Cejudo’s coach claims the UFC staged the Brandon Moreno feud
Eric Albarracin, Cejudo’s coach, has claimed that the UFC deliberately set up the situation that led to his split with Moreno as a form of punishment.
Cejudo was actually the one who pushed for Moreno to be included on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ in the first place.
But because of how the bracket was structured, choosing top seed Alexandre Pantoja for his team meant his teammate had to end up on the opposite side.
Speaking to The MMA Hour in 2023, Albarracin explained: “They planned it. If you’re putting your own guy in and kicking one of our guys out, you’re going to have to make a choice. If you’re picking your best friend, the No. 1 seed goes to the other side. if you pick the No. 1 seed, Brandon goes to the other side. They planned it all along and they did it on purpose. UFC, they caused the beef. I know they did.”
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