Triple C is back! Well, more like back in the USADA testing pool. Either way, this can only mean one thing, he is on the campaign trail to recapture what was once his. The former Olympic gold medalist and two-time UFC Fly and Bantamweight champ appear to be nearing his return to action after a 2-year Layoff.
Before retiring Cejudo (16-2) was on a 6 fight win streak that included fighters like Marlon Moraes, Wilson Reis, Sergio Pettis, Dominick Cruz, TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. Tripple C was on a warpath that rivals that of Conor McGregor, but I would dare say Henry had much more stiff competition as well as the number of legends he has taken out. At the point of his retirement, Henry was quickly ascending the P4P list in a manner that only DJ has ever come close to. He had shed the monicker of Wrestler and added an arsenal of striking and knees that stopped 3 of the best striking bantam and flyweight fighters on earth.
While an official announcement has yet to be made about a date or opponent, there are a plethora of options for Henry as he has been diligent and vocal during his time off calling out and ruffling the feathers of any fighter he deems worthy of facing should he have returned earlier, considering Henry has fluctuated in weight there is a lot more opportunities should he have chosen to only focus on 1 division. Here is a list of some possibilities in Henry’s return.
Flyweight title shot: This one may seem like a no brainer to some, as Henry has not been officially defeated as a champ at either division. There is currently a 3-way toss-up as to who the next title fight will be (Fig, Moreno, Kara-France) and while the UFC seems reluctant to cave into Henry’s demands, his official return might make the brass rethink some things.
Conor McGregor (22-6): Of all the fights on here, this has to be the wild card. Yet for some reason, I can 100% see this happening. It doesn’t matter that Henry has been away for two years or that McGregor is still recovering from his broken ankle or even that neither has fought in the same weight class, nope. The UFC will be willing to make this considering the animosity and trash talk, but more importantly the $$$ that will be generated. Henry has been away for 2 years and Conor for nearly 1 entire year while not having won since 2020.
Alexander Volkanovski (24-1): Another title fight, another defence. This Saturday Volk decimated and dismantled the Korean Zombie en route to a 4th round TKO. This pushes his record to 21 straight wins with 3 title defences. While we may be impressed, Henry is not. He has called out Volk on several occasions and is looking to evolve from Tripple C to C4. Volk has nearly run table, and a matchup vs Cejudo would make for fireworks.
Aljamain Sterling (21-3): Bantam has a legitimate champ yet again. So why not bring Cejudo to the weight class he has never lost? Cejudo began his career as a bantam and won the title once vs Marlon Moraes (defended against Cruz) and with Aljo looking like a true champion after taking out Petr Yan this could be the fight to make. Dana White recently said he wants TJ next for Aljo, but maybe Henry could be up next for the winner of that.
Max Holloway (23-6): The UFC is either serious or playing games with Henry. Either way, they don’t seem willing to have Henry as a champ any time soon. Whether it’s because they don’t like him or simply because they don’t see him as a financial needle mover. But regardless, Henry can’t be given some newcomer or a low-level fighter, he at least deserves a tough fight vs a former champ who has been on a resurgence with 2 straight victories but has been away since November of last year. This is where a fight vs Holloway would make sense, while it’s a contrast of styles, these two are genuine fighters through and through and will always be at the top of the division no matter who is king.
Petr Yan (16-3): Dana white recently spoke about Aljo vs Yan saying he thought the judges blew it. He had the fight going 3-2 for Yan. While Yan committed one of Dana’s cardinal sins of never let it go into the hands of the judges, he still showed why he was the former interim and regular champ. While Yan may not get an immediate rematch, he could get the best next thing and face Henry for a title eliminator.
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