Dana White ‘will make super-fight between Henry Cejudo and Alexander Volkanovski’, insists American’s manager Ali Abdelaziz… but only if retired two-weight champion agrees to stay on and defend title
- Henry Cejudo retired having secured his legacy as a two-weight UFC champion
- He is targeting a comeback fight against Alexander Volkanovski at featherweight
- Cejudo would become the first three-weight world champion if he wins it
- But his manager Ali Abdelaziz says he will have to defend that title
Henry Cejudo is close to agreeing a comeback fight that would see him attempt to become the first three-weight UFC champion in history.
Cejudo retired having won the flyweight and bantamweight titles with his legacy assured but now wants to return for a shot at Alexander Volkanovski‘s featherweight crown.
The 34-year-old’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, is aware that the UFC would only be interested in negotiating that encounter if Cejudo sticks around to defend the belt.
Henry Cejudo (left) stepped away from the sport but wants to come back for a shot at Alexander Volkanovski’s belt in a bid for an unprecedented third title in different divisions
Ali Abdelaziz (right) says he will only negotiate with Dana White if Cejudo is willing to defend the title if he wins it against Volkanovski
He told MMA Fighting: ‘If Henry wants to do it and he’s telling me he wants to do it, and he’s willing to defend the title after he beats Alexander, right? Dana White will make this happen.
‘But remember, if I don’t think Henry will defend the title, I will not be involved because I have a long history with Dana and I’m never going to lie to him and I’m never going to lie.
‘Henry’s an honorable guy. He would never lie. But I think right now, everybody needs to make up their mind what they want to do. I have to talk to the UFC to Dana, to Sean [Shelby], to Hunter [Campbell] and everyone at the office and sit down with Henry face-to-face to see if this is what they’ll really do.’
Abdelaziz went on: ‘You can’t just win a title and bounce, especially if you promise you’re going to defend it.
Cejudo (left) called it a day after beating Dominic Cruz (right) but is hungry for a legacy fight
‘I can guarantee this, if I know one-percent that Henry will bounce, I will not be involved in it.’
But when pushed on whether he thinks the American former Olympic champion will return next year, the manager confirmed: ‘Yes, I do. 100-percent I do. I think he does’.
Max Holloway is the obvious choice for Volkanovski after his recent win over Yair Rodriguez but ‘Blessed’ has been coy over a trilogy fight with the champion.
Aside from those two men, there are few other obvious choices as contenders to Cejudo may capitalise and slot in early next year.
‘I think it’s the perfect time for Henry to come in and see what he can do in the division.
‘If he wins, he can fight Max and after that he can fight Giga Chikadze. In reality, it’s a really great fight. It’s a really big fight.
Volkanovski is running out of challengers and Cejudo would be a fresh cab off the rank