Henry Cejudo On Failed Weight Cut: “I’m Very Disappointed In Myself”

Henry Cejudo was set to make his UFC debut last month at UFC 177 against Scott Jorgensen. The gold medal Olympian was unable to make the weight cut down to 125 pounds however, and after falling ill hours before the weigh ins, he withdrew from the fight.

This wasn’t Cejudo’s first time missing weight, he has missed weight once before, and no-showed a weigh in, citing vomiting and flu-like symptoms as the cause. UFC President said Cejudo would get another shot in the UFC, but it wouldn’t be at 125 pounds.

Cejudo joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour to discuss the failed weight cut.

“Everything was good, I had gotten down to 130 the night before the weigh-ins, and I was only four pounds away from my goal, and that night I just had severe cramping. I couldn’t sleep. Every 10 minutes or so I had cramping going on in my back, in my thigh, in my foot, just pretty much every part of my body. It’s not that I’m fat or I’m overweight, I’m very lean. My body had pretty much just taken a toll. And it’s happened a couple of times already. I’ve always thought I could get down to — because I’ve done it my whole life — get down to 125, but it’s a little different now. I’m much older.”

“I’m very disappointed in myself. I’m still a little disappointed. I don’t want to call it depression, but I am very sad. Because I want to compete. I’m a competitor, I love to compete. In the year 2013 I fought six times. I fought four times in two-and-a-half months. I love to compete, and I love to fight. It’s just that I think my body has just grown and I think if I ever make 125, if the UFC would ever allow me, there would have to be more science involved into my weight cuts. It can’t just be toughness and strong and willful minded, because that’s just going to be put me in a coffin.”

Do you think Dana White will give in and let Cejudo compete at 125 pounds again?