Sherdog’s Top 10: Rising Stars, 2015 First Edition

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5. Henry Cejudo
Division: Flyweight
Record: 9-0 (3-0 UFC)
Age: 28

The only real question about Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo is whether he can keep himself motivated and on track. The 2008 freestyle king at 121 pounds in Beijing, Cejudo spent the better part of the next three years away from the sport and rolled into the 2012 trials at less than optimum condition and skill. While he almost made the team anyway, that up-and-down commitment was a red flag that popped up again in 2013 as he began his MMA career in earnest.

Cejudo missed weight for his first fight in the Legacy Fighting Championship organization, pulled out of the second scheduled bout, missed weight for the third and withdrew from the fourth. He got an Ultimate Fighting Championship contract anyway but was forced out of his debut at UFC 177 the day of the weigh-ins and reportedly had to go to the hospital.

Since then, however, Cejudo has been on a tear. He dominated Dustin Kimura in his lone bantamweight outing, crushed former title challenger Chris Cariaso in his return to flyweight and took a clear but close fight from Chico Camus at UFC 188. When Cejudo is motivated, and it is obvious that he has been since August, a run at the top of the division seems like pure destiny. His wrestling is obviously world-class, his athleticism and physical tools are outstanding and he has shown much better striking than anybody anticipated.

A fluent Spanish-speaker, Cejudo could become a crossover star among both the Latino community in the United States and in Mexico proper. As long as he stays committed, only the flyweight elite have a chance of slowing down “The Messenger.”

Number 4 » A creative, high-volume striker with elite takedown defense and an increasingly lethal submission repertoire, his game is well-suited for any opposition UFC matchmakers can throw his way.