Scouting Report: Henry Cejudo

Henry Cejudo

Born: Feb. 9, 1987 (Age: 36) in Los Angeles
Division: Bantamweight
Height: 5’4”
Reach: 67.5”
Record: 16-2 (10-2 UFC)
Association: Fight Ready
Stage of Career: Post-Prime

Summary: When he retired for the first time in 2020, Cejudo was a truly great fighter. Being an Olympic gold medalist, he had some of the best wrestling in MMA and outstanding top control, though his ground-and-pound was always average. Additionally, he developed into an excellent striker with a surprisingly well-rounded repertoire, including a nice cross, left hook and overhand right, all of which he could combine into solid combinations. Cejudo also had powerful kicks to the legs and body, but his most effective strikes were his blisteringly fast and brutally powerful knees in the clinch, which he used to knock out Dominick Cruz. Add to this his stellar cardio, high fight IQ and granite chin, not to mention fantastic footwork and movement, and facing Cejudo was a daunting prospect for anyone. Having not fought for three years, one can only wonder whether Cejudo will show up as good as ever.

STRIKING

• Stance: Switches often and does so effectively, though he is primarily orthodox.
• Hand Speed: Average.
• Jab: Rarely uses it, especially in more recent fights.
• Cross: Perhaps a tiny bit telegraphed but powerful and accurate. He hurt a dehydrated T.J. Dillashaw with it and set up the knockout sequence, and he nailed Marlon Moraes with it repeatedly.
• Left Hook: Short, sudden and technical, with a tight arc. He can stun opponents with it at short range, though it lacks some power.
• Overhand Right: Carries similar properties to the left hook, but he also ducks his head when he throws it and hopes it lands, which makes for some bad misses.
• Uppercuts: Almost never throws them.
• Solitary Striker or Volume Puncher: Likes to throw punches in bunches and features some stout combinations.
• Favorite Combination(s): The two-three and three-two, both of which are harmonious and effective.
• Leg Kicks: Strong, even though he rarely throws them, as he prefers to target the body.
• Body Kicks: Fast and hard.
• Head Kicks: Not a significant weapon in his arsenal.
• Chains Kicks to Punches: No.

Cejudo developed into a surprisingly good striker over his last few fights. He eschews the jab for power punches in the form of a right cross, left hook and overhand right, all of which he can blend into effective, crisp combinations. He also features dangerous kicks, especially the one to the body. For a wrestler who started MMA somewhat late, he features impressive higher-level standup skills, like being highly adept at switching stances. Cejudo’s footwork is outstanding, with the feet perfectly parallel while being tremendously light and fluid on them. Moreover, he has evasive movement and instincts, including a knack for circling away from power. Cejudo’s lone weakness? He remains fairly vulnerable to leg kicks, doing little to check or evade them.

CLINCH

• Physical Strength: Incredibly powerful when he engages in close quarters.
• Technique: Textbook, combining it with excellent timing and a variety of ways to get the opponent down.
• Knees: Fast and powerful from a tight Thai clinch. He throws them at a heavy rate of fire.
• Elbows: Does not throw them.
• Defense Against Knees/Elbows: His own knees and the threat of a takedown often negates his opponent’s offense.

Cejudo has proven to be lethal in the clinch, not only due to his ability to execute takedowns but because of the effectiveness of his knees. He can brutalize opponents with them, as he did in his stoppage of Cruz.

GRAPPLING

• Wrestling from a Shot: Fast and powerful, and he constantly changes direction with them. He can also change levels in an unexpected manner.
• Wrestling in the Clinch: Off-the-charts strength and technique make him one of the best to ever do it.
• Takedown Defense: Virtually air-tight. Even when he was out of position, excellent wrestlers like Cruz and Demetrious Johnson could not get him down.
• Ability to Return to Feet: Difficult to know, as he has not been in bottom position in many fights. However, it is one ability that can be sensitive to aging.
• Submissions: Non-existent.
• Defense/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the Bottom: Impossible to say, as he has almost never found himself in that position.
• Top Control: Heavy pressure and subdues opponents well. Even Johnson had difficulty getting up in their rematch.
• Ground-and-Pound: Often relies on arm punches, making it possible to either block or tie him up. While he finished Moraes on the mat, the Brazilian by that time was utterly gassed and beaten up, refusing to even move.

Cejudo’s grappling, befitting an Olympic champion, has been a decided advantage against most opponents at even the highest levels, thanks to his outstanding takedowns. His tremendous top control often draws less attention but allows him to keep opponents grounded. Unfortunately, he lacks any submission threat and features average ground-and-pound. On the flipside, it has proven impossible to exploit Cejudo in the grappling department, as he has been virtually impossible to take down.

INTANGIBLES

• Athleticism/General Physical Strength: Tremendously dynamic and fluid, on top of being exceptionally powerful.
• Cardio: Kept an energetic pace against Moraes and constantly brought the fight to the former World Series of Fighting champion before finishing him. He competed for all five rounds against the incomparable Johnson, though the bout was contested at 125 pounds.
• Chin: Durable. He ate a number of hearty shots from Moraes without showing any signs of being hurt. His only knockout loss resulted from a body shot.
• Recuperative Powers: Impossible to say for sure, as he has never been badly hurt from shots to the head.
• Intelligence: He has shown tremendous improvement across his fights despite starting MMA late, including the addition of skills with which even the best wrestlers struggle. Cejudo also makes outstanding decisions during fights and has been able to implement highly complex gameplans without wavering.