UFC fighter Henry Cejudo has confirmed he will retire if he loses his upcoming fight against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298, stating that he is putting everything on the line and sees the fight as a do-or-die situation.
Henry Cejudo is taking his UFC 298 fight against Merab Dvalishvili very seriously. It’s a matter of life or death for him.
He’s hinted at retirement if he loses this Saturday. He’s all in for this fight.
A win, he believes, could put him in line to fight Sean O’Malley or Marlon “Chito” Vera for the UFC bantamweight title. But a loss? That’s it for him.
“This is all or nothing,” Cejudo stated during the UFC 298 media day. He’s made it clear to his team: it’s gold or bust. He either wins it all or he’s out. Done.
He’s putting this pressure on himself because he’s serious about the sport. People might say, “Oh, you retired before.” But he’s done everything there is to do. What’s left to prove?
Now, he’s driven by a bit of anger. He’s a tad pissed at himself, but he’s still motivated.
When asked if a loss to Dvalishvili would lead to his retirement, Cejudo didn’t mince words. Yes, 100 percent. He’s aware of the pressure, but that’s what he wants.
He’s not going to keep fighting just for the sake of it. He’s too competitive for that. He wants to be the best in the world. He wants that belt, and he really wants the other one at featherweight.
If he can’t have it, then he doesn’t want anything. He didn’t retire because of money. It was about motivation. Sure, he would have loved a pay raise from Uncle Dana [White] after defending both of his belts, but it is what it is. He respects Dana nonetheless.
His fight at UFC 298 isn’t officially a No. 1 contender’s bout, but Cejudo believes a title shot is definitely at stake. He thinks his fight with Dvalishvili is a match between the two best bantamweights in the world.
He says, “Between me and Merab, this is the best fight at 135 pounds. This is the real world title.” He doesn’t understand why Sean gets to pick a No. 6 ranked opponent, a guy who lost 50-45 to Sandhagen, for a title shot.
He gets the theatrics and the entertainment side of it. Sean created that, and when you’re a champion, you have that leverage. But for Cejudo, this fight decides who the best in the world is.
Cejudo’s plan is clear: beat Dvalishvili and then go for the bantamweight championship. If all goes well, he plans to add a third title to his resume.
“My goal, and I’m probably going to get a lot of s*** for this, but the goal is still 145 pounds,” Cejudo said. He’s already conquered and defended his 135-pound weight. Yes, he lost his last fight through split decision, but he’s not wavering from his goal of moving up.
He feels a win over Merab, then getting the winner out of ‘Chito’ versus Sean, and then he wants [Alexander Volkanovski] or whoever has that belt at 145 pounds. He feels he’s earned it. With his accolades and merit in combat sports, he doesn’t think anyone can deny him.
Despite other opportunities, Cejudo is adamant. At this stage in his career, he’s only interested in monumental achievements that will define his legacy as the greatest combat sports athlete in history.
If that’s not an option, he’s not interested.
“If I can’t have it, then I just don’t want it,” Cejudo said. He came back because he felt he could do it again. But now it’s up to him. He either gets it all, or he doesn’t want it at all. He’s either the best in the world, or he’s not.