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After a silly back and forth on Twitter, Henry Cejudo has confirmed he’s serious about challenging for his third UFC belt, this time at featherweight.
UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo raised some eyebrows earlier this week when he took to social media on Valentine’s Day and called out new featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.
But just because he delivered his challenge in typical “King of Cringe” fashion, don’t think that Cejudo isn’t serious about moving up and challenging for yet another UFC belt. He spoke to ESPN over the weekend about his upcoming plans, and while Jose Aldo is still next in his mind, he definitely has his eye set on moving up to challenge for the featherweight title.
“I think that’s where all the roads are leading to, Jose Aldo is another legend,” Cejudo said. “To me, when you able to add Demetrious Johnson, TJ Dillashaw, and Jose Aldo … I’m covering everyone from flyweight to featherweight. So of course I want to. He’s going to be the next to bend the knee to Triple C. That cabbage patch head is going down. He’s gonna kiss my feet, Jose Waldo.”
“The other fight that kinda brings appetite to me is – and a lot of people will probably laugh, but that’s okay – Alexander Volkanovski,” he continued. “I do feel like I have the style to beat him, I sincerely do. I got good wrestling, I got my hands, we’re about the same height. I would eventually like to go up and fight him. He’s going to fight [Max] Holloway, I know that the rematch with him and Max is in the works. Me and Aldo can go at it and who knows, maybe afterwards we’ll see what’s up.”
Volkanovski’s initial response was to doubt Cejudo was for real, with the Australian saying “Don’t go making empty promises on Valentines Day.”
“It was cute,” Cejudo said about the dismissal. “He’s an overgrown midget. He knows what time it is, he knows I can take him out.”
As far as Henry is concerned, it’s time for a new nickname.
“Quadruple C. Olympic champ, flyweight champ, bantamweight champ, and the featherweight champion of the world. The beautiful thing about it is I know how many fans I have, and I know how many fans I have created from the people who have just doubted me. And why not? I can do it. I know I can. I’m a conqueror.”
“A lot of it depends on Uncle Dana,” he finished. “Uncle Dana said he’d never count me out again. He said ‘I’ll never doubt that kid again.’ I beat Jose Waldo, I wouldn’t mind fighting Volkanovski. I wouldn’t mind fighting that Kiwi. Drinking some kiwi juice.”