Cejudo accepts Aldo challenge, wants to fight him in Rio

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Henry Cejudo welcomes Jose Aldo’s challenge to fight him for the UFC 135 lbs title.

Not only is UFC president Dana White on board with Jose Aldo’s idea to drop to the bantamweight division to challenge Henry Cejudo’s title, but now the champion himself welcomed the fight, and wants to make in happen in Brazil.

In an interview with Combate, Cejudo expressed his admiration for the Brazilian people and Aldo himself, but warned Jose that he would pull no punches should they meet, because, as Henry puts it, he will go for the kill in the Octagon.

“First of all, Brazil, I love you, I really like you,” Cejudo said. “But I think I like my gold and my belts more than everything. I have always admired Jose Aldo, I think he’s a legend, one of the best in UFC history. In fact, I would like to challenge him to fight in Rio de Janeiro. I’ll go for the kill, to win. Jose Aldo, you are next. I have a message for you: you may be ‘The King of Rio’, but I’m the King of Everything. Kneel. ‘Uh, vai morrer.’”

Although Cejudo welcomes the idea of taking on Aldo, the double champion does now know which belt he will defend next after sucessfully retaining the bantamweight title against Marlon Moraes back in June. While nursing a shoulder injury, the 32-year-old believes a return in February or March of 2020 would be most likely.

“I need to defend all my belts,” Cejudo said. “I have two reigns now, bantamweight and flyweight. I’m on vacation, healing from a shoulder injury. I feel ready, but I don’t know which one I will defend first. The outline is to come back in February or March.”

Currently on a five-fight winning streak, Henry Cejudo (15-2) has defeated Wilson Reis, Sergio Pettis, Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw and the aforementioned Moraes. In fact, the ‘Messenger’ has not lost a fight since dropping a controversial split decision to Joseph Benavidez back in December 2016. Aldo (28-5) is coming off a loss to Alex Volkanovski at UFC 237 in May.