Henry Cejudo Record: 16-6-0

Early setbacks and the climb back

His first run at the elite ended in defeat: Demetrious Johnson stopped him with knees to the body in the opening round at UFC 197 in 2016, and later that year Cejudo dropped a split decision to Joseph Benavidez. He responded with a maturing, more complete game, finishing Wilson Reis by TKO at UFC 215 in 2017 and outpointing Sergio Pettis at UFC 218 to earn a rematch with the long-reigning flyweight king.

Two-division champion

The rematch made history. At UFC 227 in August 2018, Cejudo edged Demetrious Johnson by split decision to capture the UFC Flyweight Championship and end one of the sport's longest reigns. He defended the belt with a first-round TKO of T.J. Dillashaw at UFC on ESPN+ 1 in January 2019, then moved up to claim a second title, stopping Marlon Moraes by third-round TKO at UFC 238 to win the vacant bantamweight crown. He defended that belt with a second-round finish of former champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 in May 2020, then stepped away from the sport.

Comeback and recent run

Cejudo returned in 2023 and challenged for the bantamweight title again, dropping a competitive split decision to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288. He followed with decision losses to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298 and Yadong Song, and most recently dropped a unanimous decision to Payton Talbott at UFC 323 in December 2025 – a tougher stretch against a younger generation of contenders.

Fighting style

Cejudo is one of the most decorated wrestlers ever to compete in the cage, and that base anchors everything he does. Of his 16 wins, eight have come by knockout and eight by decision – a 50% finish rate that reflects a striker who learned to weaponize his Olympic-level takedowns and chain wrestling into ground-and-pound stoppages. He blends pressure, an underrated boxing game and elite scrambling, though his recent decision losses have shown that his shorter frame and reach can be neutralized by larger, higher-output bantamweights.

Career highlights

• Olympic gold medalist — won freestyle wrestling gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a credential no other UFC champion has matched.
• Two-division UFC champion — held both the flyweight and bantamweight titles, defeating Demetrious Johnson and Marlon Moraes to earn each belt.
• Signature title defenses — finished T.J. Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz in championship fights, cementing his place among the era's best small fighters.