Former UFC champion Henry Cejudo wouldn’t help Conor McGregor with his fighting career even if the price was right.
Cejudo will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon this weekend at UFC 288. He faces UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling for a chance to reclaim the belt he never technically lost.
As Cejudo prepares for his comeback fight, McGregor’s timeline for a return is uncertain. He’s expected to face Michael Chandler for his own comeback, but the matchup remains unbooked as summer approaches.
McGregor is looking to get back on track in his fighting career after back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021. Cejudo, who has had recent back-and-forths on social media with McGregor, has analyzed some of his recent performances on his YouTube channel.
Cejudo provides great insight to fighters, but wouldn’t accept an offer to coach McGregor if the option presented itself.
Henry Cejudo: Conor McGregor Went Too Far With Khabib Fallout
During his UFC 288 media day, Cejudo explained why he wouldn’t be open to training with McGregor and helping him snap his slump.
“No, I think he’s offended too many of my good friends,” Cejudo said. “At first I was a hater, but then a fan… but I think he took things a little too far. Talking about Khabib’s father, talking about his passing. Talking about my manager being a ‘rat’ and all that…
“I did a ‘Fight Feedback’ on him. If he was smart, he would watch it. I think the biggest thing Conor could do is adjust his stance, he’s too heavy on that lead leg. He’s not an attacker. Conor anticipates and he counters well…when people started to understand his bluff, he throws too much power, and I think he needs to go back to his analogy ‘Precision beats power, timing beats speed’…I couldn’t do that to Khabib or Ali.”
Cejudo is managed by Ali Abdelaziz, who formally managed Khabib Nurmagomedov and currently manages some of the top names in the fight game. McGregor’s bad blood with Nurmagomedov is well-documented, including McGregor making questionable remarks about Nurmagomedov’s wife.
McGregor hasn’t fought since shattering his leg against Poirier at UFC 264. By the time he potentially returns in 2023, it’ll be nearly three years since his last Octagon appearance.
Cejudo feels he has the recipe for McGregor to find success in fighting again, but won’t provide help at the expense of his closest friendships.
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