UFC: Cejudo retired, bantamweight title now vacated

Henry Cejudo officially is no longer the UFC bantamweight champion, the organization confirmed to multiple media outlets on Monday.

Cejudo (16-2) vacated the title after successfully defending it against Dominick Cruz in the co-main event of UFC 249 on May 9. Cejudo, 33, announced after the bout that he planned to retire from active competition.

“I’m happy with my career,” Cejudo said at the time. “I’ve done enough in the sport. I want to walk away and enjoy myself. I’m 33 years old. I have a girl now, watching me from back home. Since I was 11, I’ve sacrificed my life to get to where I was tonight. I’m retiring tonight. Uncle Dana (White, UFC president), thank you. Everybody here, thank you so much.”

Cejudo’s declaration was presumed by some as a negotiating tactic for a larger purse, however he appeared to put a halt to those talks on social media Monday.

“To all my coaches and fans it been a wonderful ride. Triple C is out,” Cejudo posted with the hashtag “retiredontop.”

—Field Level Media