Former two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo made a low-key return to competition in Kazakhstan, participating in a grappling match on Tuesday. Cejudo faced former ONE Championship flyweight king Kairat Akhmetov in a single-round exhibition contest, winning by decision. Known as ‘Triple C’, Cejudo, an Olympic wrestling champion, seized the opportunity to highlight his grappling skills in a contest without striking.
Following the match, he was unexpectedly presented with one of his old UFC title belts. He briefly showcased the belt during a post-fight interview before graciously gifting it to the son of the Alash Pride FC president, who had extended the invitation for his appearance.
Henry Cejudo defeats Kairat Akhmetov in return to the cage
After a controversial loss to Song Yadong in the main event of UFC Seattle, Henry Cejudo returned to the cage in Kazakhstan with relatively little fanfare from the American fight scene on Tuesday. However, he was met with enthusiastic crowds during his extended visit, culminating in the grappling exhibition.
Wearing wrestling shoes and leveraging his extensive background in the sport, Cejudo clearly dominated position throughout the contest but was unable to secure a submission against Akhmetov. The Kazakh fighter, despite being less accomplished than Cejudo, entered the cage second and received immense support from a packed house.
Cejudo emerged victorious from the exchange and spent a considerable amount of time posing for photographs with various dignitaries inside the cage. He also draped his old UFC title belt over his shoulder, which he later gifted to the son of Alash Pride FC president Alimzhan Bektaev.
Cejudo stated that the belt was the one he earned by defeating TJ Dillashaw in January 2019, a victory he claimed saved the UFC flyweight division. Speaking after the bout, he expressed gratitude, saying: “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 is plotting one final UFC fight before retirement
Cejudo suffered a severe eye injury in his fight with Song Yadong and has since been contemplating his future in the sport. He initially retired at his peak in 2020 as a two-weight champion but has lost all three of his Octagon appearances since his return in 2023.
His recent losses include defeats to Aljamain Sterling in an immediate title shot, followed by a second loss to Merab Dvalishvili. The outcome against Song was his most controversial, and he recently informed President Donald Trump that he anticipates having just one more fight.
When Trump inquired about his condition after the gruesome and contentious eye injury scare against Song Yadong in Seattle, Cejudo responded: “I’m doing good Mr President.” Regarding his future fight plans, he told the President: “I’ve got one more and I’m calling it.”
Gareth Pendleton