Imagine walking away from millions, from the roar of the crowd, from the very thing that defined you… only to completely reinvent yourself. That's exactly what UFC legend Henry Cejudo has done, and his next move is probably the last thing you'd expect.
Henry Cejudo, a name synonymous with combat sports excellence, shocked the MMA world when he retired in December. After an illustrious career that saw him capture both the bantamweight and flyweight titles in the UFC, 'Triple C' decided to hang up his gloves after a hard-fought battle against Payton Talbott at UFC 323. He went out swinging, literally!
Before his final fight, Cejudo hinted at a surprising career shift: becoming a children's author. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Now, Cejudo has revealed his next venture: diving headfirst into the bottled water business. Yep, you read that right.
In a recent social media post, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling announced his involvement with One Water, a water company based in Edmonton, Canada. He even gave fans a virtual tour of the facility.
"A lot of you guys have been wondering, ‘What’s going on with Triple C after retirement?’ Well guess what guys… I wanna give you guys a private tour (of) my water company: One Water. It tastes amazing! Take a trip, with every sip," Cejudo exclaimed.
But here's where it gets controversial... Is this a genuine passion project, or a savvy business opportunity? Some might argue that it's a natural evolution for an athlete focused on health and wellness, while others might see it as a purely financial decision. What do you think?
He tweeted: "I may have retired from fighting, but I am just getting started with one of the fastest growing water companies in the world: One Water 🚀 Take a trip with every sip! 🌊"
And this is the part most people miss... While Cejudo is stepping away from active MMA competition, he's not entirely done with combat sports. Just a month after his UFC retirement, he's already scheduled to compete in a wrestling match at Real American Freestyle on February 26th.
His opponent? None other than fellow MMA legend and UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber, who is also coming out of retirement for the event. This event is part of the new wrestling organization that is gaining traction, with big names like Colby Covington, Bo Nickal, Yoel Romero, Belal Muhammad and Arman Tsarukyan having already participated.
So, Cejudo is trading punches for… wrestling takedowns and bottled water. It's a fascinating career pivot, to say the least.
The big question that remains is: Can Cejudo achieve the same level of success in the business world as he did in MMA? And more importantly, will his foray into wrestling be a one-off event, or a sign of things to come? Is he truly retired from MMA, or just taking a break?
What do you make of Cejudo's post-MMA career choices? Is the water business a smart move, or should he stick to combat sports? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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