Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Henry Cejudo wants to save UFC 249, but if Jose Aldo can’t get there, he wants a former bantamweight champion instead.
UFC 249 is scheduled for April 18th as of right now, but the card seems more and more doomed as each day passes. With lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov stuck in Russia due to the travel restrictions the country has imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, literally everything is up in the air now, including a main event.
That hasn’t stopped a bunch of fighters from trying to “save” the card though, by attempting to jump into a short notice fight. The UFC reportedly wants Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje on the card now, but that has not been finalized. So UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo has thrown his hat into the proverbial ring.
Cejudo is scheduled to face Jose Aldo at UFC 250 in Brazil in May, but is willing to bump the fight up to UFC 249 if he can. Brazil has its own impending travel restrictions though, so Aldo might not be able to get to the event (wherever it is) even if he chose to accept.
Cejudo has another option he’d like to see if Aldo can’t make it, and took to social media to call out another former champ – Dominick Cruz.
Since #UFC249 is in jeopardy because we can’t get Khabib out of Russia. So Just in case we can’t get Jose Baldo into America soil, make sure to bring your untailored tuxedo that you wear every Saturday long with yours balls! Because you’re on deck sweetheart. ?? @DominickCruz pic.twitter.com/1LaGGavqe2
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) March 30, 2020
It didn’t take long for Cruz to respond (and promote his accounts as usual):
Let’s finally square up little guy the G.O.A.T will win.. #DominickCruz #DomCruz #TeamCruz #CruzAlliance #UFC #MMA .
Snapchat | DomCruz619
Twitter | @DominickCruz
Web | https://t.co/Be0e9SXNm2 pic.twitter.com/1NpqzpWkuT— Dominick Cruz (@DominickCruz) March 31, 2020
It seems a bit off that Cruz, who hasn’t fought since 2016, would actually agree to step into a contest on less than three weeks of notice. You know, assuming the card actually takes place at all. Cejudo vs. Cruz is a matchup a lot of fans would like to see, but I’m guessing you won’t see it on April 18th in front of no fans in a place still to be determined.