The UFC has made an interesting addition to their flyweight division, signing Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Henry Cejudo. He is booked to face longtime UFC and WEC bantamweight contender (and current flyweight) Scott Jorgensen at UFC 177. The news was first announced on UFC.com and was celebrated by both fighters on Twitter:
The quest for another gold begins now... #UFC
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) July 26, 2014
Love fighting in sac town!
— Scott jorgensen (@Scottjorgensen) July 26, 2014
The news comes as something of a surprise. While Cejudo is obviously an elite-level wrestler, his MMA career has been less than glamorous. Even though he has a 6-0 record, he is very clearly a work in progress, and his difficulties in making the flyweight division's 125-pound limit have raised questions regarding his commitment to his MMA career.
That said, there is no denying his upside as a prospect. At age 27, there is plenty of time for Cejudo to make the tweaks to become a force at 125 pounds, and we have seen more than a few fighters achieve MMA success on wrestling skills alone. Not only that, but as an American of Mexican descent who can speak fluent Spanish, he also may prove to be a valuable commodity for the UFC as they begin pushing into Mexico and Central America.
Jorgensen is a tough draw for his UFC debut, however. While the former WEC contender is on a tough 2-5 skid, he remains a savvy veteran and has been training with former Team USA standout (and Bellator champion) Joe Warren.
It is unknown whether this fight will be part of the main card or preliminary card. Fortunately, it will occur relatively soon. UFC 177 goes down August 30 in Sacramento, California.
