Henry Cejudo, an Olympic wrestler, gold medalist and the current top prospect in the UFC’s flyweight division, has been scheduled to appear at UFC 188, which will take place in Mexico City.
An American born to Mexican parents, Cejudo publicly asked for a place on this card following his victory over Chris Cariaso at UFC 185 earlier in March. Now, UFC brass have granted his request.
Broadcaster Ariel Helwani passed along the news Wednesday night on UFC Tonight (h/t Dave Doyle of MMAFighting.com).
Sources cited in the report said that Chico Camus is being targeted as Cejudo‘s opponent, though the bout has not yet been formally agreed upon.
The 28-year-old Cejudo (8-0) won a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, competing for the United States in the 55 kilogram division of the men’s freestyle competition. Since moving to professional MMA, he has displayed a high ceiling, but problems with making weight derailed his hype a bit.
Cejudo was scheduled to make his UFC debut last summer at UFC 177, but medical issues related to his weight cut forced him to withdraw from that bout on the day of the weigh-ins. He got another chance, but was essentially forced to fight in the UFC’s 135-pound bantamweight division instead of flyweight.
He won that bout, then begged for an opportunity to return to flyweight. He was accommodated, made weight without issue and won his return at UFC 185.
If you bet on Henry Cejudo missing weight, you lost. The gold medalist ready to rock at 125lbs #UFC185 pic.twitter.com/bWPJsaC30I
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) March 13, 2015
“I would love to fight in Mexico City,” Cejudo said at the news conference after that win. I’m fluent in Spanish. My parents are from Mexico City.”
The move could be a great one for the UFC, which has long sought a stronger foothold in Mexico, a hotbed for boxing and a potentially rich market for MMA, as well.
UFC 188 is scheduled to be headlined by another Mexican-American: heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez, who is expected to return from an injury layoff to face challenger Fabricio Werdum.
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