Legendary two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo made a return to competition on Tuesday, participating in a low-key grappling event held in Kazakhstan. He faced former ONE Championship flyweight titleholder Kairat Akhmetov in a single-round exhibition match.
Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, won the contest by decision, showcasing his grappling expertise in a match without strikes.
Following the match, Cejudo was unexpectedly presented with one of his former UFC title belts. He briefly displayed the belt during a post-fight interview before gifting it to the son of the Alash Pride FC president, the host of the event.
Cejudo Defeats Kairat Akhmetov in Cage Comeback
Cejudo`s return to the cage lacked significant attention in the United States but was a major event in Kazakhstan. Crowds gathered during his lengthy visit, which culminated in the grappling exhibition against Akhmetov.
Wearing wrestling shoes and leaning heavily on his storied background in the sport, Cejudo clearly dominated the positional battle but was unable to secure a submission against Akhmetov. The Kazakh fighter received strong support from the packed home crowd despite his less decorated career compared to the former UFC champ.
After winning the match, Cejudo spent time posing for photos with various dignitaries inside the cage. He draped his old UFC title belt over his shoulder before presenting it as a gift to the son of Alash Pride FC president Alimzhan Bektaev.
Cejudo stated the belt was the one he won by defeating TJ Dillashaw in January 2019, a victory he credited with saving the UFC flyweight division. In a post-fight interview, he thanked Akhmetov and the Alash Pride FC organization, noting, “I want to thank Kairat for giving me the opportunity in Alash. Alash is the only place where you can get a UFC champion and a ONE FC champion to compete. I’m very grateful to that and I want to give a big thanks to Kairat, I’ve been a big fan of his for a minute and I know he was supposed to fight Demetrious Johnson. It’s an honor to compete with him.”
Henry Cejudo Plans One Final UFC Fight Before Retiring Again
Cejudo`s contemplation of his fighting future follows a severe eye injury sustained in his recent fight against Song Yadong. After retiring as a two-division champion in 2020, his return to the octagon in 2023 has seen him lose all three subsequent fights.
His losses since returning include an immediate title challenge against Aljamain Sterling, followed by a defeat to Merab Dvalishvili. The outcome against Song was his most controversial.
Cejudo recently indicated to former President Donald Trump that he plans on having just one more professional fight. When asked by Trump about his recovery from the gruesome and controversial injury against Song, Cejudo responded, “I’m doing good Mr President.” Regarding his fight future, he told Trump, “I’ve got one more and I’m calling it.”
Jack Thornley