Growing up without a dad and not having a father figure - I noticed a hole in my life. For the longest time, I would run away from my problems instead of confronting them. I felt empty at one point. Not depressed, but empty.
Henry Cejudo
I speak three languages. I'm pretty handsome myself.
In wrestling, you're talking about a fraternity of champions, and I got a chance to be a part of that Olympic championship club. And anyone that ever won the Olympics in wrestling, there's something different about them.
You can accomplish anything that you dedicate yourself to. Think how many people struggle across the world, across the country. I know anything is possible if you set your mind, your body, your soul, and your faith to it.
In the year 2013, I fought six times. I fought four times in two-and-a-half months.
The thing that people don't know about me - I actually boxed amateur for a few years.
I'm the cash cow now, man. It's the Cejudo way.
Everything that I did to win a gold medal, I'm practically transferring it over to mixed martial arts.
Sometimes when you think something is shiny and gold, it tends to be rusted and bronze, but that's just the way it is, man.
I don't just want to fight Demetrious: I want to beat him, and he's been on my mind since he beat me.
We're in the entertainment business.
I would love to fight in Mexico City.
I'm ready for anybody. If it's John Dodson, if it's Demetrious Johnson, if it's Joseph Benavidez, I'm ready for whichever one, whoever wants a piece of me.
I'm an Arizona boy.
It's up to the UFC, but I'll fight whomever, whenever. Minus maybe Vegas.
I'm a big fan of Jon Jones.
The medal just was an object, just a medal, and that's it. What really meant something was the blood, the sweat, the tears that went into getting that medal. I'll always have the memories of that with me.
If anything, I get better throughout the rounds.
I'm a big Conor McGregor fan. I really am, man. I enjoy him; I like watching him.
God bless America. I am American. I'm very patriotic. I love this country.
I want to fight Tim Elliott. I want to fight him.
It's part of the sport, getting hit.
I would meet Tim Elliott at 135. At heavyweight if he wanted.
It was very important to me to join an organization that has an established track record of helping young fighters grow into world class athletes and champions. Gladiator Challenge has been a home to such fighters as Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Urijah Faber, Tyson Griffin, Chael Sonnen, Michael McDonald, and many others.
To beat Henry Cejudo, you might have to bring an AK-47 and a couple dudes.
The only thing I know how to do is survive.
In Mexico, I want to be known as the Aztec Warrior.
I think I have all tools in the world to beat anybody at 125 pounds. I really do.
I've accomplished everything I've ever wanted to in my career.
Henry Cejudo is going to become the greatest combat athlete of all time, being an Olympic champ and a two-division champ in the UFC.
Look at Colby Covington. The guy can fight, and the guy can talk. To a lot of people, he just grinds people out, and many people consider him boring, but because he opens his mouth, people want to watch him fight. A lot of people want to see him win; a lot of people want to see him lose.
I can easily fill out at 135 pounds and feel good.
I don't like to open my mouth a lot because, I'll be honest with you, man, I come from the streets.
I'd like to see him fight at 135 for the championship. I want to see how good Demetrious Johnson is or how far he could take it.
I actually won the Copper Gloves in Arizona.
I come from the sport of wrestling, where there's nothing but respect on the mat.
I think something that has separated me from the rest of the competition - maybe it's just my way of thinking - I don't necessarily go into fights just wanting to win but to actually dominate. So when I don't feel like I dominate, sometimes I feel like a loser, I guess, you know, maybe in that perspective.
M.M.A. is growing, and it's a basic wrestling sport. A lot of fighters are ex-wrestlers. A lot of guys take the easy way out, make quick money.
I know success; I've done it, but success is not what everyone thinks it is. It's only a tool and a platform for a greater message. That's where my nickname 'The Messenger' comes from. The UFC and a world title are a platform for something greater. For a bigger purpose.
I think T. J. Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson - I'm a bad matchup for both of them.
Will I become a UFC champion some day? I know I will.
Why call out the champion in my first title defense? Because that's who Henry Cejudo is.
I have the best style to defeat the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world - Demetrious Johnson.
I got a huge target on my back. But you know what, I'm going to embrace that, and everybody is on notice - flyweights and bantamweights.
I want to fight for a credible organization and face high caliber opponents.
Coming from the background that I come from, being a gold medalist, you see Ronda Rousey and Daniel Cormier doing so well. Yoel Romero. All these Olympians. It's kinda hard to bet against them.
I started competing on boxing, so I have my hands. I'm an O.K. wrestler, so why not?
At some point, if the UFC allows me, I'd like to go to 125 because I know I can win that belt, man. I'm too strong, and I'm too fast.
Henry Cejudo is a motivator.
I've done things, from the Olympics to defeating two of the greatest fighters of all time.
