Rising flyweight contender Asu Almabayev thinks Henry Cejudo should retire again after UFC Seattle.
Cejudo recently lost a fight by technical decision due to an accidental eye poke. This loss marks his third consecutive defeat since returning from a brief retirement. When asked about fouls and point deductions, Almabayev, who is headlining UFC Vegas 103 against Manel Kape, focused on Cejudo’s future instead of the fight rules.
Almabayev mentioned he didn’t judge the fight itself, only seeing the eye poke incident and the fight’s conclusion.
He added that Cejudo doesn’t seem to be the same fighter he once was. Almabayev believes that if an athlete considers and announces retirement, they should probably stay retired, especially in a sport that favors younger competitors. He suggested that if Cejudo’s body and mind are indicating it’s time to stop, then it likely is.
Almabayev, at 31 years old, is entering the most significant fight of his career with a 17-fight winning streak, including a 4-0 record in the UFC. He is stepping in to replace Brandon Royval, who had to withdraw due to injury.
Regarding the ongoing discussion about officiating and point deductions, Almabayev stated that it should depend on the specific situation.
Almabayev explained that fights are dynamic with many variables, so decisions about point deductions should be made on a case-by-case basis.
