On Saturday night, UFC 249 brought professional mixed martial arts back to television.
In the co-main event, Henry Cejudo, a two-weight champion went out on top. The former Olympic gold medalist wrestler, defended his 135-pound title for the first time, finishing Dominick Cruz (22-3).
The TKO came at 4 minutes, 58 seconds of the second round at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
Then he announced that he was retiring from the sport. He had done everything he came to do.
“I’m happy with my career,” Cejudo said. “I’ve done enough in the sport. I want to walk away and enjoy myself. I’m 33 years old. I have a girl now, watching me from back home. Since I was 11, I’ve sacrificed my life to get to where I was tonight. I’m retiring tonight. Uncle Dana [UFC president Dana White], thank you. Everybody here, thank you so much.”
Dana White appeared on SportsCenter revealing he wasn’t surprised by Cejudo’s announcement.
“It really didn’t shock me,” he said. “Cejudo has been talking about retirement to us for months. I’m of the belief that if you’re talking about retirement in the fight business, you should probably retire.”
Cejudo continued his storied boasting when he declared himself the best combat-sports athlete of all time before exiting the cage.
With only two losses, with the longest-reigning flyweight champion in UFC history being one of them, Cejudo just might have a point.
