If you were looking forward to seeing Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo face Scott Jorgensen at UFC 177, grab a stuffed animal and some warm milk. I have bad news for you.
According to Fox Sports’ Damon Martin, Cejudo was forced out of the bout due to “medical reasons.” He tweeted the following message Friday, confirming the news.
While a UFC debutant (Cejudo) versus a gatekeeper (Jorgensen) is not necessarily the highest-profile bout ever, UFC 177 is already a relatively abysmal card, and Cejudo‘s ceiling as a mixed martial artist is high…if he can ever make it to the cage again.
The undefeated Olympic wrestler last fought in January 2014, but his career is littered with inconsistency and problems following through on bout agreements. In the past nine months, as pointed out by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, Cejudo has withdrawn from four fights (UFC 177 included).
In addition, he’s repeatedly failed to make weight, missing the 125-pound flyweight limit by 2.5 pounds in his most recent fight at Legacy Fighting Championship 27.
As noted by Bloody Elbow’s Coach Mike R, the warning signs surrounding Cejudo were in place before he even began his MMA career. In the article, Coach Mike R points out that Cejudo took lengthy absences during his wrestling career as well, appearing unmotivated and generally disinterested at times. He was a strange case then, and after five straight victories as a professional mixed martial artist, a strange case he remains.
Neither the UFC, the California State Athletic Commission nor Cejudo‘s management has clarified the exact reason for Cejudo‘s withdrawal at this time, but Mike Chiappetta tweeted the following minutes after the initial report broke.
If confirmed, Chiappetta may have a point. When a fighter repeatedly misses weight, it’s probably time to either reconsider your pre-fight preparations or take a stroll up a weight class.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report as more updates emerge regarding his condition and his future with the UFC.
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