Can Spencer Lee be a second coming of Henry Cejudo in MMA? Here's how the NCAA wrestler compared himself to 'Triple C'

Henry Cejudo is arguably one of the most decorated wrestlers to make the transition to MMA. Wrestling has been established, particularly in the last few years, as one of the best foundations to have in MMA. Several contenders who have made an impact in the sport, like Kamaru Usman, Jon Jones, Khamzat Chimaev, and Bo Nickal, are accomplished wrestlers.

American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler Spencer Lee was all over the news recently after Matt Ramos pulled one of the most shocking upsets in the history of NCAA Division I wrestling, ending Lee's pursuit of four national titles with a pin in the final seconds of their semifinal match.

Spencer Lee has often been compared to Henry Cejudo. They have trained under the Brands brothers, both have a dominant record at 125 lbs, and have achieved a great deal in the sport of wrestling at an early age.

By the end of his college career, Spencer Lee had won three NCAA titles, five All-American honors, three Big Ten titles, and two Dan Hodge Trophies. His career record in wrestling stands at 98-6.

At the age of 18, Cejudo won his first Senior US Open title, defeating Matt Azevedo in the finals 0-1, 2-1, 4-2. Cejudo went on to become a mainstay on the senior wrestling circuit, reaching the Senior World Team Trials finals while still a junior. 'The Messenger' has two US Nationals titles and four state high school titles. He also won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Spencer Lee had also previously weighed in on Henry Cejudo re-entering the USADA testing pool after retiring from the sport in 2020. Speaking to UFC.com about Cejudo's hopes of fighting in the featherweight division in an attempt to become a three-division champion, Lee said:

“I’ve wrestled with Cejudo before and he’s a lot bigger than I am. He’s short, but he’s a lot bigger than I am. I never get big. For me to move up, it would be hard. If I won a title and said I’m going up to 155, even my coach would be like, no, whereas Terry Brands, who coached him in 2008, when he won the Olympics, said he doesn’t know why he doesn’t just go up to 155 and fight [Conor] McGregor because he gets that big.”

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What did Henry Cejudo say about Spencer Lee getting pinned in the final seconds of his match against Matt Ramos?

Former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo was shocked to find out that Spencer Lee had been pinned in an NCAA wrestling bout. Lee's quest for four national titles came to an end with a shocking pin in the final seconds of his semifinal match against Matt Ramos.

Cejudo has firsthand experience of Lee's wrestling proficiency, having trained with him in the past. The Olympic wrestling champion called it the "biggest upset in NCAA wrestling history."

Check out the reaction below: