Former UFC champion Henry Cejudo commented on a potential fight with Deiveson Figueiredo, saying it would be “like breaking a cookie.”
Cejudo retired from MMA last year after knocking out Dominick Cruz at UFC 249. He defended the UFC bantamweight title that night, a title that he won from Marlon Moraes at UFC 238. Before moving up to 135lbs, Cejudo was also the UFC flyweight champion, having defeated Demetrious Johnson to take the belt at UFC 227 and then defending it successfully once against TJ Dillashaw. After moving up to bantamweight, winning the belt, and then defending it one time, Cejudo made the surprising decision to walk away in the prime of his career. But given that he’s only 34, a comeback someday seems very likely.
Since retiring, Cejudo has been active on social media and in interviews, he has called out a number of fighters, including Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and the aforementioned Figueiredo. Though Cejudo’s goal is to fight for the UFC featherweight title and become the first three-division champion in the organization’s history, he also knows that a return to his old stomping grounds at 135lbs or even 125lbs can’t be ignored. And if he does return at those weight classes, then the 125lbs champ Figueiredo will be waiting.
Speaking to Combate’s Evy Rodrigues, Cejudo said that he welcomes the fight with Figueiredo. Though he knows the champ is a strong fighter, Cejudo believes that after winning Olympic gold and defeating fighters like Johnson, beating Figueiredo will be an easy night at the office for him, comparing the fight with Figueiredo to “breaking a cookie.”
“Deiveson is strong, but when he goes to prepare to fight with me it will be different. He doesn’t have wrestling, he doesn’t have the experience I have. One thing they talk about is that he has the composure and recognizes the distance very well. But when you fight a guy like Demetrious Johnson or fight an Olympics and win, fighting Deiveson is like breaking a cookie,” Cejudo said.
How do you think a fight between Henry Cejudo and Deiveson Figueiredo would play out?