Henry Cejudo says he will leave MMA if he doesn’t get paid

UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo says he will walk away from MMA if he doesn’t get paid more by the UFC.

Cejudo is one of the few double champions in the history of the UFC. He is one of the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighters in the sport right now and, as a former Olympic gold medalist, easily one of the finest athletes to ever step into the Octagon.

Cejudo knows his value. Speaking to Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com, Cejudo says that he wants a pay raise from the UFC. If he doesn’t get it, he’s comfortable with walking away from MMA.

“I’m in this game for 100 percent money. I’m in this to make money. I’m not in this for another championship, I’m not in this for another belt. My motivation — I’ve accomplished everything that I’ve wanted to accomplish. There’s only one thing that’s missing. That’s a whole bunch of zeroes behind me competing and entertaining a bunch of people. That’s it,” Cejudo said. “I’m ok with walking away. I’m ok with leaving the sport if I have to.”

Cejudo is currently injured but will likely return to the Octagon in early 2020. He says that he plans on having a conversation with UFC president Dana White about his pay in the near future.

“I do have a number in mind, but that’s between me and my boss. Like I said before, I respect Dana White, I respect what they’ve done, the organization. I’m very grateful for what they’ve done and everything, but this is a financial thing for me. If we just can’t come to terms, then best of luck to both divisions, and a bunch of silver medalists and bronze medalists can fight for the belts,” Cejudo said.

“I’m good, man. I’m a smart guy, I do public speaking. I want to get into real estate. I want to get into a bunch of other things. My life doesn’t just revolve around fighting. I want to do so many other things. There’s a whole other aspect of Triple C and Henry Cejudo.”

In the meantime, Cejudo reiterated his desire to fight the legend Jose Aldo in the interview and made it clear that if he does fight again in the UFC, it will be at 135lbs.

Do you think the UFC will give Henry Cejudo a bump in pay or do you think he will walk away from the sport?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 12/12/2019.