Henry Cejudo isn’t looking to follow the same post-UFC path as fighters like Eddie Alvarez or Nate Diaz. Instead, the former two-division champion seems ready to call it quits for good at UFC 323 this weekend. Still, Cejudo hasn’t completely shut the door on fighting again. “Unless Dana wants me to… unless it’s a really big fight with some other Mexican, then I’d be willing to do it,” he said at the press conference.

His return from a brief retirement in 2023 didn’t unfold the way he had envisioned, as he dropped three straight fights. Those losses came against Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili, and Song Yadong, the last via technical decision after an accidental eye poke.

With that skid, the Los Angeles-born, Arizona-raised former champion seems more prepared than ever to close this chapter of his career. But there’s still one competitive itch he hasn’t managed to shake, but in pure wrestling. Cejudo still wants one final grappling showdown with a Russian opponent he’s been eyeing for some time.

Henry Cejudo shuts down all combat-sports options except one

Henry Cejudo has made it clear he’s not pursuing a post-retirement tour in other combat sports, expressing no interest in the usual spectacle fights like crossover boxing or bare-knuckle showcases.

Instead, Henry Cejudo focuses on only one opponent, and the matchup has nothing to do with MMA. For the former champion, there is just one challenge that still ignites his competitive fire: a wrestling match with a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

“I think there’s only one wrestling match that I really want to do, and that’s against a guy from Russia. His name is Mavlet Batirov. He’s a two-time Olympic champion, and he’s asked to compete against me. So, that’s about the only thing I could think of,” Henry Cejudo told TMZ Sports.

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Mavlet Batirov, born in 1983, is a freestyle wrestling legend from Dagestan. He won Olympic gold in 2004 at 55 kg and again in 2008, the same year ‘Triple C’ captured his own gold medal in Beijing. During those Games, Batirov competed at 60 kg while Henry Cejudo wrestled at 55 kg.

Ever since then, Cejudo has wanted a chance to face the Russian great, but the meeting never happened as both athletes moved in different directions. Adding to his résumé, Batirov has also trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has reportedly been promoted to blue belt, making him one of the most decorated freestyle wrestlers to explore BJJ.

Cejudo compares his Olympic glory with his UFC success

For many, being a UFC champion might matter most, but for Henry Cejudo, despite holding two division titles, he values being an Olympic champion above all. It’s a stance that contrasts sharply with how UFC championship prestige is usually discussed. Looking at the promotion, many fighters don’t get the opportunities they deserve.

Fighters like Arman Tsarukyan in lightweight, Ian Garry in welterweight, and Tom Aspinall’s journey last year highlight how long it can take to fight for a title. This emphasizes how the UFC operates more as entertainment than pure sport, unlike the Olympics, which have no politics, no favoritism, and no matchmaking.

“Look at who’s getting opportunities to fight for a belt in the UFC, that stuff doesn’t exist in the Olympics. You are in a 16-man bracket. You don’t know who the hell you’re gonna wrestle until the next day… I’m really proud of becoming a two-division champ, but I prefer being called an Olympics champ than the UFC champ,” Henry Cejudo said during the press conference.

What do you think of Cejudo’s perspective? In your view, does an Olympic medal carry more prestige than a UFC belt? Share your thoughts below.