Advertisement

Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo to Make UFC Debut Against Dustin Kimura

2008 Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler Henry Cejudo is set to make his UFC debut on Dec. 13 in his hometown of Phoenix in a bantamweight bout against Dustin Kimura. UFC officials announced the match up on Monday.

Cejudo (6-0) was originally supposed to make his promotional debut on Aug. 30 at UFC 177 against veteran Scott Jorgensen. Hours before he was expected to step on the scale to make the flyweight limit of 126 pounds for the first time in his career, Cejudo was pulled from the fight card after complaining of nausea and muscle cramps during his weight cut.

It wasn’t the first time the 27-year-old experienced issues with making weight. He failed to make weight in his last two outings prior to being signed by the UFC. After the weight cutting issues at UFC 177, UFC president Dana White said Cejudo could come back to the organization, but not as a flyweight.

“He can come back and try at a heavier weight or not try again,” White said in August.

“He’s got a history of doing this,” added the UFC president. “It’s not his first time, and if he stays at that weight, it won’t be his last.”

The match-up against Kimura will be in the bantamweight division with a weight limit of 136 pounds for non-title fights.

Kimura (11-2) made his UFC debut in February 2013, submitting Chico Camus by rear-naked choke at UFC 156. He’s gone 2-2 in his four fights inside the Octagon. The 25-year-old Hawaiian is coming off a loss to George Roop in his last outing on April 16.

UFC on Fox 13: dos Santos vs. Miocic takes place at the US Airways Center in Phoenix on Dec. 13. The event is headlined by a heavyweight match-up between former titleholder Junior dos Santos and no. 5-ranked Stipe Miocic.

Follow MMAWeekly.com on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.