Henry Cejudo didn’t like what he saw from Chito Vera over the weekend.
While the #5 UFC Bantamweight became the first fighter to beat future champ Sean O’Malley in 2020, the rematch couldn’t have gone any more different. In the main event of UFC 299, O’Malley whooped Vera in the striking department over five rounds.
Vera couldn’t find his rhythm against much more active ‘Sugar’ early on and by the time he found some success in round 4, it was already too late for the first-time title challenger. O’Malley’s distance management, feints and overall arsenal were too much for Vera to keep up with.
Cejudo Praises O’Malley, ‘Disappointed’ With Vera
Former two-division UFC champ Cejudo picks apart Vera’s rather lackluster performance, not without first crediting O’Malley on his successful title defense.
“Sean’s f*****g good, man. when it comes to striking, he’s got good fakes. Everything that he was doing before, now he’s a lot tighter. His distance was better. he was able to really pick Chito apart like you wouldn’t believe,” Cejudo said on ‘Pound 4 Pound‘.
“I’m a bit disappointed with Chito. I’m thinking Chito’s gonna at least fight him, at least attempt a takedown, but Chito never attempted anything. Flat-footed, never faked, never used all that. Like, he was pretty much just missing. He kinda pulled the same card when he fought Cory Sandhagen, just fought in the last 10 seconds of the 5th round.”
Cejudo On A ‘Potential Fight’ With Vera
With Vera’s game-plan out the window, Cejudo could see a world where he fights Ecuadorian next.
Cejudo has his back to the wall after two straight defeats to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili. The 37 year-old was planning on retiring with another loss, but not anymore, given Vera’s name on the drawing board at 135lbs.
“I don’t know where this dude’s head is, but the only thing that I could say, there could be a potential fight with me and Chito,” Cejudo continued. “I think because of the ranking. I don’t mind it. I’m still trying to get that Brandon Moreno fight, but Chito, especially the way he’s performing, he just decides to fight in the last minute of every five-round fight. I just don’t know where his head’s at.
“I don’t know if it’s that pressure that gets to him. But either way, man, the dude had no tactical fighting, never attempted a takedown, never attempted to really cover the distance and just bring the fight, was reacting to Sean O’Malley, to all his fakes. I’d never seen somebody twitch so damn much, and that was like the biggest thing.”
‘Chito Never Brought It’
Henry Cejudo explains why he thinks Chito Vera will never get his hands on UFC gold.
“It was a striking war, Chito never brought it. This is the same reason why you’ll probably never touch a UFC title because they just focus in on striking,” Cejudo added. “I’m thinking, ‘Hey, if you’re getting outstruck, pull some of the wrestling attempt a takedown’. Dude, you’re a big dude. I mean, get to his legs— put him against the cage, clinch him, do something. But unfortunately, Chito didn’t do any of it.”
Do you agree with Henry Cejudo’s analysis?
