5 Fights for Henry Cejudo if he returns in 2022

#4. Cejudo vs. Aljamain Sterling

UFC 238 Cejudo v Moraes

Another opponent that would make sense for Henry Cejudo if he returns is Aljamain Sterling. The current UFC bantamweight champion is coming off a title win that was mired in controversy as his opponent. Sterling was struck with an illegal knee, which resulted in then-champion Petr Yan being disqualified.

If Sterling gets by the current interim-UFC bantamweight champion Yan in the rematch, a fight with Cejudo could be interesting. Since ‘Triple C’ never lost the title, he likely wouldn’t have to wait in line too long for the next title shot. One win over a top-5 opponent could be enough to get Cejudo a title shot.

If Sterling can get a definitive win over Yan, it would raise his stock immensely. A victory over Yan would legitimize his title reign and could lead to more fans rallying behind him. Cejudo has done a great job with his ‘King of Cringe’ antics in selling his fights, so the lead-up could be entertaining as well.

---

#3. Cejudo vs. Petr Yan

UFC 259 Blachowicz v Adesanya: Weigh-Ins

Petr Yan, the current interim-UFC bantamweight champion, has had an impressive UFC tenure. Yan is arguably the top bantamweight in the promotion even though he isn’t the undisputed bantamweight champion anymore.

Following his disqualification loss to Sterling at UFC 259, Yan got back on track by defeating No.4-ranked bantamweight Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision at UFC 267 to become interim champion. The bout was awarded Fight of the Night and proved that Yan is still the man to beat at 135lbs.

Cejudo would be wise to utilize his Olympic wrestling rather than get into a slugfest with Yan should they compete. Yan has excellent striking and could pose problems for Cejudo in the stand-up, especially since he hasn’t competed in almost two-years. Yan has showcased his devastating power in his stoppages of Jose Aldo and Urijah Faber.