Written by John Gordon at MMA Manifesto
Mixed martial arts isn’t something that Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo has been practicing for as long as one would assume.
In fact, the 28-year-old Mexican-American fighter decided to embark on a career in mixed martial arts a little over two years ago. Since then, however, he’s gone 9-0 in professional competition, netting himself two wins in the UFC’s flyweight division.
While Cejudo has yet to make himself a household name amongst all fight fans, it’s quite the contrary when it comes to the world of freestyle wrestling.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Cejudo became the youngest American wrestler to win a gold medal and was also the first of Mexican descent to perform such a feat. Only twenty-one years old when he shocked the sport, Cejudo had previously won four state wrestling champions in two different states (AZ and CO).
And if those credentials weren’t enough for you, Cejudo sported a 150-0 record while engaging in high school competition.
Cejudo’s debut in the UFC was marginally impressive as he handily defeated Chris Cariaso, who had challenged for the flyweight belt in his previous fight. Then, to prove he was far from being a fluke fighter, Cejudo grinded out another decision against Chico Camus, who was then sporting a promotional record of 4-2.
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