Henry Cejudo Bio
Henry Carlos Cejudo, born on February 9, 1987, in Los Angeles, California, is an American Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler and a former professional mixed martial artist. Nicknamed “The Messenger” and “Triple C,” he is widely regarded as one of the greatest combat athletes of his generation. Cejudo became the youngest American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal when he triumphed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics at age 21, and he later became a two-division UFC champion.
Throughout his career, Henry Cejudo captured both the UFC Flyweight and Bantamweight Championships, becoming the fourth fighter in company history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously. Standing 5 feet 4 inches tall with a 64-inch reach, he compiled a professional MMA record of 16 wins and 6 losses before stepping away from active competition. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and currently trains out of Fight Ready.
Early Life and Background
Henry Carlos Cejudo was born to Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles, California, and grew up as the second youngest of seven siblings. His early years were marked by instability at home, as his father struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. When Henry Cejudo was four years old, his mother fled with her children to New Mexico to escape threats from his father, who was later jailed and eventually deported when Cejudo was six. His father passed away when Henry was around 20 years old.
After a couple of years in New Mexico, the family relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, where they lived in the Maryvale neighborhood in poverty. His mother worked multiple jobs to support the family, and Henry Cejudo has said that he did not sleep in his own bed until USA Wrestling provided one for him during his residency at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Despite the hardships, he discovered wrestling through his older brother, Angel Cejudo, an undefeated four-time Arizona state champion, and began carving out his own path in the sport.
Henry Cejudo attended Coronado High School and later Maryvale High School in Arizona, where he became a four-time state wrestling champion. In 2006, he was named the ASICS National High School Wrestler of the Year and was also selected to USA Wrestling Magazine’s “Dream Team of High School All-Americans.” He went on to attend Grand Canyon University, where he earned a degree in Theology in 2015.
Path to MMA
After winning Olympic gold in 2008, Henry Cejudo stepped away from freestyle wrestling and considered a second Olympic run, but he officially retired from the mat in 2012 after failing to qualify for the London Games. On January 30, 2013, he announced on social media that he planned to begin training for a career in mixed martial arts, signaling a major transition from amateur wrestling to professional fighting.
Despite competing at around 121 pounds during his wrestling career, Henry Cejudo made his professional debut at 135 pounds. He defeated Michael Poe by technical knockout on March 2, 2013, in the Arizona-based World Fighting Federation. Over the next year, he built an undefeated 6-0 record with three wins by TKO, one by submission, and two by decision, eventually being ranked as the number one bantamweight prospect in the MMA Prospects Report 2013.
Henry Cejudo Career
Early Career (2013-2014)
Following his successful stretch on the regional circuit, Henry Cejudo signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 25, 2014, becoming the third Olympic gold medalist wrestler in company history, following Mark Schultz and Kevin Jackson. A planned debut against Scott Jorgensen at UFC 177 fell through due to medical issues during weigh-ins, prompting UFC President Dana White to require Cejudo to move up to bantamweight or leave the promotion.
Henry Cejudo eventually made his UFC debut on December 13, 2014, at UFC on Fox 13, defeating Dustin Kimura by unanimous decision in a bantamweight bout. The performance set the stage for his transition to the flyweight division, where he would soon challenge for championship gold.
UFC Breakthrough (2014-2018)
Henry Cejudo moved to the flyweight division and quickly stacked up wins over the likes of Chris Cariaso, Chico Camus, Jussier Formiga, Wilson Reis, and Sergio Pettis. His first significant setback came on April 23, 2016, at UFC 197, when he challenged longtime champion Demetrious Johnson for the UFC Flyweight title and lost via first-round TKO. A rematch with Joseph Benavidez on The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale also ended in a split-decision loss.
Henry Cejudo’s career-defining moment arrived on August 4, 2018, at UFC 227, when he rematched Demetrious Johnson for the UFC Flyweight Championship. In a closely contested battle, Cejudo won via split decision, becoming the second UFC Flyweight Champion and the first Olympic gold medalist wrestler to capture a UFC division title. The bout earned him the Fight of the Night award, cementing his place among the sport’s elite.
Dual-Champion Era (2019-2020)
Henry Cejudo successfully defended his flyweight crown on January 19, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 143, stopping T.J. Dillashaw in just 32 seconds to retain the title and earn another Performance of the Night bonus. Months later, on June 8, 2019, at UFC 238, he captured the vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship with a third-round TKO of Marlon Moraes, becoming the fourth fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously. The victory earned him yet another Performance of the Night award.
After vacating the flyweight title in December 2019 to focus on the bantamweight division, Henry Cejudo returned to the Octagon on May 9, 2020, at UFC 249, where he defeated Dominick Cruz via second-round technical knockout. During the post-fight interview, he announced his retirement from professional fighting, and the UFC officially vacated the bantamweight title later that month.
Comeback Era (2023-2025)
After nearly three years away from competition, Henry Cejudo returned to the cage on May 6, 2023, at UFC 288, challenging Aljamain Sterling for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. He lost a close split decision, beginning a difficult stretch in his comeback. A scheduled bout with Marlon Vera at UFC 292 was scratched due to a shoulder injury, and he followed that with a unanimous-decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298 in February 2024.
Henry Cejudo faced Song Yadong in the main event of UFC Fight Night 252 on February 22, 2025, but the bout ended in a technical decision for Song after an accidental eyepoke rendered Cejudo unable to continue in the fourth round. He closed out his career with a loss to Payton Talbott at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, and announced his second retirement from MMA, finishing his post-comeback run with four consecutive defeats.
Notable Events and Milestones
Henry Cejudo’s career is highlighted by his historic 2008 Olympic gold medal, making him the youngest American wrestler ever to win the title at age 21, a record that stood until Kyle Snyder broke it in 2016. In the UFC, his 32-second demolition of T.J. Dillashaw and his victory over Marlon Moraes to claim dual championships stand out as defining moments. He was also inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2018.
Henry Cejudo Career Wins
Across his professional mixed martial arts career, Henry Cejudo compiled 16 victories against 6 losses, with 5 wins by decision, 1 by knockout, and the remainder by technical knockout and submission. His win list includes notable names such as Demetrious Johnson, Dominick Cruz, Wilson Reis, Sergio Pettis, Jussier Formiga, and Marlon Moraes.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Henry Cejudo earned 10 of his 16 career victories, with his biggest coming against Demetrious Johnson, Dominick Cruz, and Marlon Moraes. Three of those performances earned him the UFC Performance of the Night bonus in 2017 and 2019, while his victory over Johnson also garnered the Fight of the Night award in 2018.
Other Wins and Performances
Prior to joining the UFC, Henry Cejudo built a 6-0 record on the regional circuit, highlighted by his TKO debut win over Michael Poe in the World Fighting Federation. He was ranked the number one bantamweight prospect in the MMA Prospects Report 2013 before signing with the promotion.
Henry Cejudo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Henry Cejudo was raised in a tight-knit family of Mexican heritage, the second youngest of seven siblings. His older brother, Angel Cejudo, was an undefeated four-time Arizona state wrestling champion and represented the United States internationally, serving as a major inspiration for Henry’s own path into the sport.
Personal Life
Henry Cejudo is married and has two sons. He has been based in Phoenix, Arizona, where he trains out of the Fight Ready gym, and he remains active in wrestling through Real American Freestyle, where he is scheduled to debut at RAF 06 against Urijah Faber.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 campaign was a difficult chapter for Henry Cejudo, who entered the year on the heels of a unanimous-decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili. On February 22, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 252, he headlined against Song Yadong in a pivotal bantamweight contest. The fight was halted in the fourth round after an accidental eyepoke left Cejudo unable to continue, resulting in a technical-decision loss.
Heading into the latter half of 2025, Henry Cejudo was matched with rising contender Payton Talbott at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025. Despite his veteran experience, he was unable to secure a win, losing by decision and bringing his post-comeback record to 0-4. Following the bout, he announced his second retirement from professional mixed martial arts, closing the book on a Hall of Fame-worthy career.
Although his 2025 in-ring results fell short of expectations, Henry Cejudo remains an influential figure in combat sports. Beyond MMA, he has signed with Real American Freestyle and is set to face Urijah Faber at RAF 06 on February 28, 2026, signaling a return to his wrestling roots and a new chapter in his storied athletic journey.