Former two-weight champion, Henry Cejudo has been closely linked with a return to motion as quickly as February by his supervisor, nonetheless, former light-weight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov claims the Olympian needs to be an actual choice to problem Alexandre Pantoja for flyweight gold subsequent.
Cejudo, a former undisputed flyweight champion and bantamweight gold holder underneath the banner of the promotion, retains the quantity seven rank at 135lbs, having remained sidelined since dropping a title eliminator loss to the incumbent divisional champion, Merab Dvalishvili again in February.
Necessary Credit score: Zuffa LLC
Henry Cejudo backed to battle Alexandre Pantoja for title in return
As for Pantoja, the Brazilian kingpin headlined UFC 310 final month, taking out the newly-signed promotional contender, Kai Asakura, choking out the Japanese native with a taut second spherical rear-naked choke in Las Vegas.
And focusing on a return to the Octagon as quickly as February or March of subsequent yr, Los Angeles native, Cejudo has been backed to battle for flyweight spoils in opposition to Pantoja in accordance with Corridor of Fame inductee, Nurmagomedov.
“There is no other option for (Alexandre) Pantoja. There is no fight,” Khabib Nurmagomedov mentioned of Henry Cejudo. “I think if they [the UFC] want some big fight for this weight class, they have to make this: (Henry) Cejudo vs. Pantoja.”
“Yeah, I can make it,” Henry Cejudo mentioned when requested if he may nonetheless make the flyweight restrict. “It’s just a lot of discipline. I’ve got to maybe fast for like a week, lose a good 10 pounds, and then from there just be on a strict diet. Only water, I think I’d lose about 15 pounds.”
But to characteristic at 125lbs since 2019, Cejudo efficiently defended the flyweight crown in a dominant first spherical knockout win over former two-time bantamweight titleholder, T.J. Dillashaw — having snatched the crown from two-fight rival, Demetrious Johnson in August of the yr prior.
In his most up-to-date win, Cejudo defended the undisputed bantamweight title in a short-notice pairing with one other ex-champion, Dominick Cruz, ending the veteran with a knee and strikes TKO win in 2020.
