Former UFC champion Brandon Moreno is not paying any attention to Henry Cejudo.
MIAMI – [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] has issued his response to [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] showing interest in a move back to flyweight and a fight with him.
Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4), a former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion, told MMA Junkie last month that he was considering a return to 125 pounds as he sees it tough to earn a bantamweight title shot once again. He also mentioned Moreno (21-8-2 MMA, 9-5-2 UFC) as a fight he’d specifically want.
Moreno made it clear that he’s not fond of Cejudo, but he doesn’t see it as something worth discussing for the time being.
“It’s no secret we don’t like each other,” Moreno told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “It’s no secret I’d like to get my hands on him, but I’m not going to stress over someone who’s not on the map right now. He talks a lot and wants to call for attention and poor him, he has a hard time getting it. I’m just going to let him do his thing, and I’ll do mine.”
Moreno returns to the octagon Nov. 2 against top contender Amir Albazi in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It will be Moreno’s return fight since announcing earlier this year that he was going to take a break from the sport, citing mental fatigue.
The Mexican star is solely focused on his return, reclaiming the UFC flyweight title, and nothing else.
“One hundred percent, that’s still the goal,” Moreno said when asked about wanting to win back the UFC title. “I think a Brandon Moreno that feels happy and eager to be in the gym every day can go and do big things. I know it’s difficult. I know Pantoja has beaten me a few times, and I know I had a stumble against (Brandon) Royval, but deep inside I know I can beat them. I know I can beat them, and it’s just a matter of a few details that I’ve fixed in this time off, and that’s the goal.”
Henry Cejudo hints that Sean O’Malley might’ve had issues during his UFC 306 training camp.
[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] hints that bantamweight champion [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] might’ve had issues during his UFC 306 training camp.
O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) defends his title against Merab Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in Saturday’s Noche UFC (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) headliner at Sphere in Las Vegas. Cejudo, who also trains in Arizona, said he heard that O’Malley has struggled with his grappling sessions.
“He doesn’t know how to get off of bottom. He’s having trouble,” Cejudo said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Kamaru Usman. “I have three training partners that gone out there that’s all told me the same sh*t. Just like when I’m injured, he always knows, he’s tweeted out like, ‘Hey, when I lost to Merab Dvalishvili, he knew that I was injured.’
“That’s what happens when you live in the same city. People know other people that will say sh*t. … It’s a match made in heaven for a guy like Merab. He just needs to be here. He just needs to be careful in those (first) two rounds and as the fight goes on, I can see Merab Dvalishvili f*cking taking him out. Am I a snitch? Am I a snitch, Kamaru?”
Cejudo’s comments come after O’Malley decided to only make a 30-second appearance on his podcast and take a dig at him on the way out.
“Boys, you guys know that I’m a very, very busy man,” O’Malley said. “I’ll keep this short. I came here for two reasons. One, to praise you, Kamaru. You’re an absolute legend. And two, Henry, how did you let Aljo take you down so easy? You’re welcome!”
Watch Merab Dvalishvili defeat former champion Henry Cejudo to earn a title shot back at UFC 298.
[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]’s return to MMA didn’t go as he expected, and that was thanks to [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag].
The two fought back in February at UFC 298. Cejudo, who’s an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, surprisingly struggled with the pressure and grappling from Dvalishvili and suffered a unanimous decision loss. This result made it even more clear that Dvalishvili was the No. 1 contender at 135 pounds.
You can watch Dvalishvili’s win over Cejudo in the video above.
Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) returns to the cage on Sept. 14 for his first UFC title fight. He takes on bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) in the main event of UFC 306, which is set to go down at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Former bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo gives his prediction for Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306.
And new! That’s what [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] thinks Bruce Buffer will be announcing at the end of the [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] bantamweight title fight at UFC 306.
O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) clash in the main event of the Sept. 14 card, which goes down at the Sphere in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews).
The anticipated contest marks O’Malley’s second title defense, and according to former divisional kingpin Cejudo, his last one as well – at least in this current championship reign.
“This is my prediction,” Cejudo told MMA Junkie. “Merab Dvalishvili is going to stop Sean O’Malley at the Sphere. He’s going to beat him. He’s going to either 50-45 him, maybe not 50-45 because he may lose the first two rounds or the first one at least. He’s going to beat him, but once Umar (Nurmagomedov) comes in, he’s just going to have his way with Merab. He really is. Umar is really good, really technical.”
As far as what’s next for Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4), “Triple C” revealed he is debating a potential return to the flyweight division. The former two-division UFC champ is still looking to regain a belt, and he sees it as a tough road at 135 pounds.
Am I going to fight just to fight? Or am I going to chase something?” Cejudo said. “I’m after gold now, and I think if I do go down to 125 pounds and stay disciplined, I just don’t think there’s anyone in the world that beats me.”
Ilia Topuria, Henry Cejudo and Belal Muhammad recently spoke to MMA Junkie. We react to their comments on “Spinning Back Clique.”
The news cycle was packed last week, and MMA Junkie played a big hand in keeping it busy.
With interviews with UFC champions [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] and [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag], and former titleholder [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag], there were plenty of headline surrounding some of the most interesting divisions in the sport today.
Topuria made some bold claims ahead of his title defense against Max Holloway at UFC 308; Muhammad weighed in on who could be his first challenger; while Cejudo teased a potential return to the flyweight division, where he first became UFC champion.
So what do we make of all these comments?
MMA Junkie’s Matt Wells, Nolan King, Mike Bohn, and host “Gorgeous” George react and dissect some of the biggest headlines in the MMA world.
Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.
Henry Cejudo next lost the UFC flyweight title – and it sounds like he’s considering moving down in attempt to win it again.
[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] doesn’t need to make an immediate decision, but he’s starting to weigh the options, of which there are a few.
It’s been six months since Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4) stepped inside the cage and lost a title eliminator to Merab Dvlashvili at UFC 298. Since then, Cejudo has enjoyed life as a father of two, a 2024 Olympic Games spectator in Paris, and a figurehead for rising MMA promotion United Fight League, which returns Aug. 30.
Competition still holds a special place in Cejudo’s heart, and while he’s eager to get back to throwing punches and shooting takedowns as hundreds of thousands watch, an injury’s healing process continues to have him taking it day by day.
“I’ve been icing an injury now for quite some time,” Cejudo told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I want to make sure that I’m 100 percent. I’m getting back into training. … It’s just allowing this injury to freaking heal. Father Time is real, dude. I can finally admit it. It’s just little nagging things, but I think in this particular thing, I want to make sure I don’t have to get surgery and allow myself to get patient and take my time. Then, I’m going to be 100 percent. Could I fight? I could. But am I going to do the same thing I did in my last fight to fight with a torn groin? I’m not going to do that no more. I think I learned my lesson and that’s it.”
After a three-year hiatus that began in 2020, Cejudo returned to the cage in 2023. He’s since lost consecutive fights by unanimous decision to Aljamain Sterling and Dvalishvili. While he might be where he remains, Cejudo said he’s tossing around the idea of a return to the division he proclaims he saved from UFC extinction.
“There could be a potential return at flyweight,” Cejudo said. “These are a lot of things I’m contemplating, potentially going back down. With the bantamweight division getting hot and with the newcomers coming in, there’s been a lot of thought of me going back down and getting a fight with Moreno and winning the belt once again. There’s a lot of cool stuff. These are kind of things I really want to think about and really decide once I get home and once I’m injury-free. It’s just one little thing, but it’s a major thing. Because I’m going to be making a commitment to go out there and just do another run, do another run at these titles and dedicate myself like I was before.”
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Flyweight is calculated option for Cejudo, who turned 37 in February. The bantamweight division is thriving and many hungry contenders are chomping at the bit. Cejudo sees fresh options at flyweight, a division he thinks his personality would spice up.
“This is my prediction,” Cejudo said. “Merab Dvalishvili is going to stop Sean O’Malley at the Sphere. … He’s going to beat him but once Umar comes in, he’s just going to have his way with Merab. Umar is really good, really technical. I just feel like it’s going to go down the line. Deiveson Figueiredo is going to fight a guy like Petr Yan, which is a fight I wanted. These guys are chasing Deiveson Figueiredo, so where does that leave me, man? Am I going to fight just to fight? Or am I going to chase something?
“I’m after gold now. I think if I do go down to 125 pounds and stay disciplined, I don’t think there’s anyone that can beat me. Plus, I think there’s a fun fight with Brandon Moreno. He wanted to fight me at 135 and then he backed out like a little b*tch. Now, I think if I go down and I beat him in Mexico, in his own country, I think that could be a big-ass payday too.”
It’s important to recognize bantamweight is still very much on the table. But should that flyweight return be his decision, Cejudo said he wants to do it properly. There will be no rushing the preparation.
“I don’t want to be fighting people just to fight people,” Cejudo said. “I want to get close to that belt. I think that’s the position that I fall in right now. … If it’s something that I do decide to do, the biggest thing for me is going to be discipline and taking myself back there once again. It is the weight cut. But at the same time, I’ve been thinking about it. It’s what I need. Maybe I need more discipline. Maybe I need… if the bar is set that high, that means I have to have more commitment on that side.
“It’s not fun. I hated making that weight. I’m also wiser and smarter right now. How’s it that I could do it and do it in the best scientific way while feeling good and spice things up? Like I said, it’s an idea that’s just floating around. If I do decide to go down to 125 pounds, it’s going to be a six-month process. It’s going to be a six-month process and I’m going to do it right. I think there’s a lot of fun matchups and to ruffle some feathers. Why not? Those flyweights need it.”
Kamaru Usman is flabbergasted by Henry Cejudo’s campaign for Nate Diaz to get a UFC title shot.
[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] is flabbergasted by [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]’s campaign for [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] to get a UFC title shot.
Welterweight champion Leon Edwards was among the names Diaz called out following his majority decision boxing win over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Diaz fought Edwards in a non-title fight at UFC 263. Edwards was dominating Diaz until he got rocked in the final minute of the fight. Edwards survived and won by unanimous decision. Cejudo argued that Diaz is a lucrative enough name to get a rematch against Edwards, but Usman wasn’t having any of it.
“Nate Diaz is on the completely tail-end of his career,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo. “Yes, of course he’s made a great name for himself and big shoutout to Nate Diaz for still having that notoriety to be able to go out there and still get paychecks like this because he’s getting all these good fights on the outside, but come on. This ain’t Nate Diaz is going to come in and walk into fighting world-class mixed martial arts fighters right now in the UFC. Come on. That’s absurd.”
Diaz is no longer with the UFC, but Dana White said the octagon will always be his home.
“So are you saying Nate Diaz ain’t a world-class fighter?” Cejudo asked.
“He can still fight, but he’s not a world class fighter,” Usman responded. “Are you crazy? Throw Nate Diaz in there with Shavkat Rakhmonov, throw Nate Diaz in there with myself, throw Nate Diaz in there with JDM (Della Maddalena), throw Nate Diaz in there with Justin Gaethje. Come on!”
Diaz also expressed interest in fighting Jake Paul, and that’s a fight Usman thinks he should take.
“Nate Diaz, PFL and Jake Paul offer you $15 million to fight him in MMA, I’m taking that Nate Diaz,” Usman said. “I actually think he wins that fight. Shout out to Nate Diaz, I think he actually wins a fight like that.”
Henry Cejudo has his doubts on Diego Lopes after UFC 303.
[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] has his doubts on [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] after UFC 303.
Lopes (25-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) was scheduled to face [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] in a lightweight bout in this past Saturday’s co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but Ortega fell ill on the night of the fight. Dan Ige stepped in on four hours’ notice to face Lopes, who won the fight by unanimous decision.
Lopes won the first two rounds, but Ige (18-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC) was able to rally in Round 3. Lopes called for his fight against Ortega to be rebooked for UFC 306, but after watching his performance against Ige, Cejudo would rather see Lopes slowly climb up the ranks.
“I’m not too sure if Diego Lopes would really be ready for a guy like Brian Ortega,” Cejudo said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Kamaru Usman. “Was I impressed? A little bit, but the more film that they now have and the more you’re able to watch him fight other top contenders, the guys that have been ranked in the top 15, top 10 …
“I think Diego Lopes needs to slow down and continue to keep taking a lot of these other fighters in order for him to really catch a guy in the top 10, or even top 5. We have to remember, too, Brian Ortega is No. 3. I think he’s still growing, in that sense. Continue to keep fighting guys that are at his level to eventually then go after a dude like a Brian Ortega.”
Lopes had a lot to deal with on fight week. He first agreed for his fight with Ortega (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) to shift from featherweight to lightweight, to then accepting a completely different style opponent on just hours’ notice at 165 pounds.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.
Henry Cejudo has high praise for undefeated UFC bantamweight Payton Talbott.
[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] has high praise for undefeated UFC bantamweight [autotag]Payton Talbott[/autotag].
Talbott (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meets Yanis Ghemmouri (12-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC 303 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) prelims at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. When highlighting the UFC 303 prelims, former dual champion Cejudo said he’s looking forward to watching Talbott, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum, the most.
“I’m gonna have to go with Payton Talbott, man,” Cejudo said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Kamaru Usman. “He’s 5-foot-10, he’s undefeated, he’s a wreck, man. He’s mentally a strong kid, he’s been finishing people in the UFC. He’s come out to (Arizona), worked with me for a few days. The dude’s got crazy talent. He’s a prospect.
“He’s definitely like a high-profile prospect that’s kind of going under the radar, man. Really good striking, has takedowns, has submissions. We’re talking about a guy who’s well rounded, yet he is still growing, and I think there’s a reason why the UFC is putting him on this card.”
Talbott put on a clinic when he was matched up against fellow unbeaten prospect Cameron Saaiman at UFC on ESPN 53 in March, finishing him by Round 2 TKO. His dominant performance led oddsmakers to peg him as a whopping -1600 favorite over Ghemmouri.
Cejudo thinks the hype is warranted.
“That being said, this guy is a threat for any of us in the top 10,” Cejudo said. “I mean, that dude going to come up, and the dude’s going to make a statement.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.
Henry Cejudo offers a unique perspective on Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from UFC 303.
[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] offers a unique perspective on [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s withdrawal from UFC 303.
McGregor’s (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) fight with Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) June 29 at T-Mobile Arena was scrapped after McGregor suffered an undisclosed injury.
While many speculate that “The Notorious” may never fight again, Cejudo sees his withdrawal as a positive sign.
“Let me put it to you this way Kamaru: The fact that Conor McGregor has to pull out, that’s actually a really good sign,” Cejudo said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Kamaru Usman. “What do I mean by that is he’s probably killing a little bit of his ego and now he’s taking it a lot more serious than ever.
“It’s also an experience for him, so the way that I’m taking it, too, is that they’re going to fight, but he’s at that point where, ‘I want to make sure that I’m 100 percent,’ like this comeback to me is real.”
Usman agrees with Cejudo. He thinks after three years away, McGregor would rather return in full form than fight compromised.
“It’s significant enough for Conor McGregor to say, ‘You know what, I want to put out the best possible product out there for all the fans and the people who have been waiting for my return,'” Usman said. “‘I want to put out the best me that I can, so I have to push this back because I am not able to give that right now.'”
