UFC Icons Criticize Henry Cejudo’s Retirement Decision in 2020 As The Worst Call Ever Made In MMA

UFC Star Henry Cejudo

The UFC has seen many surprising retirements, from Khabib Nurmagomedov to Georges St-Pierre and others. What’s even more unexpected is how some fighters don’t stay retired for long, making comebacks after stepping away—Henry Cejudo is a perfect example of this. Both Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen have called Cejudo’s decision to retire one of the worst ever, expressing their disbelief over a fighter leaving the sport while at the top of their game.

On their podcast Good Guy/Bad Guy, Daniel Cormier brought up Henry Cejudo’s retirement, asking Chael Sonnen if he agreed that it was one of the “worst decisions ever made.” Cormier argues that during the pandemic, while many industries hit pause, the UFC kept moving forward, providing a stage for many emerging talents to shine.

DC remarked on how surprising it is for a fighter to retire at the peak of their career during such a transformative period when the UFC was the only major sport offering a platform for new stars.

On the other hand, Sonnen discussed the financial fallout from giving up his title. As a champion, he earned close to $2.8 million, but since stepping down, his income has taken a noticeable dip. Sonnen explains that regaining those financial gains has been challenging, highlighting the long-term impact that vacating a title can have on a fighter’s earnings.

Sonnen said, “Yes, it was one of the most surprising things. Let’s go back to 246, Henry was fighting for the championship that he brought against Dominick Cruz.”

UFC BossDana White Doesn’t Want To See Song Yadong vs. Henry Cejudo Rematch

The UFC Headhoncho has made it clear that a rematch between Cejudo and Yadong is off the table, regardless of how the fight ended. He stated that he doesn’t want to see the same fight again. White wasn’t surprised by the stoppage and suggested that Cejudo should share his feelings after the foul. Song was performing well up until the controversial incident that ended the fight unexpectedly, but White was firm, saying he just didn’t want to see it again.

It’s worth wondering what kind of future Henry Cejudo might have in the UFC, given his past success as a dominant champion. Yet, since coming out of retirement, he hasn’t quite looked the same. His performances have fallen short of his previous standards, leaving fans questioning whether he can ever return to the form that made him one of the sport’s top fighters.