Before Henry Cejudo fought Marlon Moraes at UFC 238, he said a win over the top bantamweight fighter would make him the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. After all, he was already the flyweight champion and was looking to become the bantamweight title holder as well, this in addition to being a former Olympic gold medalist.
“First and foremost guys. You guys are acting a little shy. I would like to start off by, I’ve been called some nasty things in my life and I’m sick of it,” Henry Cejudo said at his media luncheon before UFC 238. “I’ve been called a gold digger, I’ve been called a son of a gold, I’ve been called an Olympic champion, UFC champion, Hall of Famer, author, dreamcatcher, dream snatcher, G.O.A.T. killer, the king of cringe, greatest combat athlete of all-time. But, never have I been called the ‘P’ word and I’m sick of it.
“On June 8 that’s all going to change. I will be the next pound-for-pound king. You can tell Daniel Cormier, you can tell Jon Jones, you can tell Khabib Nurmagomedov there is a new sheriff in town. His name is Henry Cejudo and guess what Dana White if you are watching, he happens to be a flyweight.”
He ended up doing just that as he defeated Moraes by third-round TKO. And, once again following the fight, the Olympic gold medalist and now champ-champ says he is the top pound-for-pound fighter. But, many still have Jon Jones at the top of the list. However, according to the UFC’s light heavyweight champion, he says Cejudo is at the top.
“He is. Absolutely. Hey, I don’t know. Because he called himself that, I’ll give it to him,” Jones said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show (as transcribed by MMA News). I feel like I don’t have to say these things if that makes sense. People should say that for you. So if Henry claims it, I guess it’s his.”
Although Henry Cejudo’s antics aren’t for everyone, Jon Jones says it is great for the sport. And, him saying he is the greatest is only making him better.
“I wish nothing but the best for him, though. He’s great for the sport, and you know, he wants to be the man, you know? I think he’s taking a page out of Ali’s book by calling himself the man, and it worked for Ali. So let Henry have it as well.”
Do you agree with Jon Jones that Henry Cejudo is the top pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC? Sound off in the comment section, PENN Nation!
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 6/24/2019.