Henry Cejudo will look to add to his stellar resume at UFC 288. With a win over Aljamain Sterling, he can become a two-time UFC bantamweight champion. Already a former double champion and an Olympic gold medalist, Cejudo is one of the most decorated combat sports athletes of all time. However, is he in the GOAT conversation?
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Not according to UFC president Dana White. There are not many UFC fighters who can boast a title and an Olympic gold medal. While Cejudo has two of the former and one of the latter. While he was a double champion, he defended both his titles in two weight classes.
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – MAY 09: Henry Cejudo of the United States looks on in the bantamweight title fight against Dominick Cruz (not pictured) of the United States during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on May 9, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Nevertheless, Dana White believes he has a few more things to accomplish before he can even enter the Mount Rushmore of MMA conversation. The UFC head honcho was speaking in an interview and previewing the upcoming UFC 288 main event when he gave his thoughts on the matter.
Dana White on Henry Cejudo becoming the MMA GOAT
The first question about Henry Cejudo that White faced was about his position on the MMA Mount Rushmore. The 53-year-old denied Cejudo a spot there saying he had a few more fights to win to accomplish that.
White said, “Well there’s no doubt. The guy has broken a lot of records. He’s accomplished a lot here. But to go out there and start saying ‘Hey, I should be there on the Mount Rushmore’ when you’ve been retired for three years and when you retired, in my opinion, sort of early.”
He added, “If you beat Aljo, there’s still a few fights out there for him to really cement himself as one of the greatest of all time.”
The next question for White was about Cejudo’s GOAT status if he wins at UFC 288. He denied those claims unequivocally as he placed Jon Jones above all. He said, “While I agree he would be on the Mount Rushmore, still tough to call himself the GOAT while Jon Jones exists.”
Jon Jones returned earlier this year and won the UFC heavyweight championship. His dominant performance combined with his impeccable UFC record cemented his status as the GOAT in the eyes of many.
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What do you guys think? Can Henry Cejudo make a GOAT claim if he wins at UFC 288? Let us know in the comments below.
