Henry Carlos Cejudo is a Mexican-American professional mixed martial artist fighting out of Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. He is currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Cejudo was born in Los Angeles, California, USA to Mexican parents Jorge Cejudo and Nelly Rico. Jorge was a career criminal also known as Favian Roca and Emiliano Zaragosa.
From Mexico, Rico and Jorge separately came to the U.S. both without papers. They met in Los Angeles.
Henry has four older siblings, including Angel Cejudo and Alonzo Cruz, and one younger sibling. In 1991, they fled to Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA with their mother while their father was incarcerated for threatening to kill his whole family.
From New Mexico, Henry, Angel, Cruz, their four siblings and Rico moved to Maryvale, Phoenix. Jorge was deported in 1993 and he died in 2007.
Henry’s fight names are The Messenger and Triple C. Here are 13 more things about him:
- He is a yellow belt in Shotokan karate.
- He competes in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions.
- He is 5’4″ tall.
- He holds a professional MMA record of 16 wins and 3 losses.
- In 2006, he won gold in the 55 kg division in men’s freestyle wrestling in the U.S. National Championships and the Pan American Championships.
- In 2007, he won gold in the 55 kg division in men’s freestyle wrestling in the U.S. National Championships, the Pan American Championships and the Pan American Games.
- In 2008, he represented the U.S. in the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China and won gold in men’s freestyle wrestling in the 55 kg category and won another gold in the same category in the Pan American Championships.
- From 2010 to 2015, he attended Grand Canyon University in Phoenix where he earned his bachelor’s degree in theology.
- On March 2, 2013, he made his professional MMA debut.
- On December 13, 2014, he made his UFC debut.
- On November 18, 2021, his wife Ana Karolina Cejudo gave birth to their daughter America Maria Cejudo in Phoenix.
- On September 13, 2020, he and his fellow UFC fighters Justin Gaethje and Colby Covington and UFC president Dana White appeared at a rally for 45th U.S. president Donald Trump in Henderson, Nevada.
- On February 9, 2023, he turned 36.
TIMELINE
2014
- On December 13, 2014, he defeated Dustin Kimura via unanimous decision at “UFC on Fox 13” in Phoenix.
2015
- On March 14, 2015, he defeated Chris Cariaso via unanimous decision at “UFC 185” in Dallas, Texas, USA.
- On June 13, 2015, he defeated Chico Camus via unanimous decision at “UFC 188” in Mexico City, Mexico.
- On November 21, 2015, he defeated Jussier Formiga via split decision in “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 2” finale in Monterrey, Mexico.
2016
- On April 23, 2016, he lost to Demetrious Johnson via technical knockout at “UFC 187” in Las Vegas, failing to dethrone the UFC Flyweight Champion.
- On December 3, 2016, he lost to Joseph Benavidez via split decision at “The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale” in Las Vegas.
2017
- On September 9, 2017, he defeated Wilson Reis via technical knockout at “UFC 215” in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- On December 2, 2017, he defeated Sergio Pettis via unanimous decision at “UFC 218” in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
2018
- On August 4, 2018, he became the new UFC Flyweight Champion by dethroning Johnson via split decision at “UFC 227” in Los Angeles.
2019
- On January 19, 2019, he successfully defended the UFC Flyweight Championship title by defeating T.J. Dillashaw via technical knockout at “UFC Fight Night 143” in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.
- On June 8, 2019, he and Marlon Moraes competed for the vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship title at “UFC 238” in Chicago, Illinois, USA and won via technical knockout while still reigning as the UFC Flyweight Champion.
2020
- On February 29, 2020, he vacated the UFC Flyweight Championship title.
2021
2022
2023
- On May 6, 2023, he lost the UFC Bantamweight Championship title to Aljamain Sterling via split decision at “UFC 288” in Newark, New Jersey, USA.
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