Former UFC double-champion Henry Cejudo was all set to make a triumphant return at UFC 288 after a three-year break from the Octagon. The Olympic gold medalist was poised to challenge the current bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling, in what promised to be an epic showdown. However, things didn’t go as planned for the Mexican fighter, as he fell short against the ‘Funk Master’ in a closely contested battle that ended in a split decision.

Despite his efforts, Cejudo couldn’t reclaim the belt he had once held with such pride and instead found himself on the receiving end of criticism for his performance against Sterling. While some labeled the decision as controversial, others felt it was a fair outcome.

Undeterred by the setback, Cejudo has now come forward with a revelation of his own. In a recent statement, the fighter revealed that he had warned the referee, Herb Dean, about Sterling’s tactical game plan prior to the fight, predicting something like this might happen.

Henry Cejudo shares a behind-the-scenes warning to Herb Dean

Henry Cejudo took to Twitter to respond to a clip of his recent fight against Aljamain Sterling. In the clip, Sterling can be seen staying grounded to restrict Cejudo from landing any blows that may count as illegal. ‘Triple C,’ responded by sharing a clip of his brief interaction with the referee, Herb Dean, where he discussed the grounded position rules with him and warned that Aljamain Sterling might pull off something like that during the fight.

“I warned Herb Dean about this before the fight. Had a feeling Aljo would play around with the grounded opponent rule after stuffing his takedowns, and that’s exactly how it played out during the fight. I need to punish him next time in those positions,” wrote the 36-year-old.

Read more: “There’s Still a Few Fights Out There”: Dana White Reveals the Name of the Fighter Who’s in the Way of Henry Cejudo’s Goat Status Ahead of UFC 288

Despite the disappointment of the loss, Cejudo has now set his sights on his next target. He has requested UFC President Dana White to schedule a fight with Aljamain Sterling’s good friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili. It seems like the former champ is eager to prove his mettle again in the octagon. And it’d be interesting to see him take on Sterling’s ally next.

What are your thoughts on Aljamain Sterling’s grounded tactic? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch this story: Why Is Henry Cejudo Called “Triple C”?