A. Volkanovski (photo) warns H. Cejudo about moving up to featherweight. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook UFC
The executioner of José Aldo, Alexander Volkanovsky, warned the new bantamweight champion (up to 61,2kg.), Henry Cejudo, about his idea of competing for the featherweight title (up to 65,7kg.), if Frankie Edgar win Max Holloway at UFC 240 in July. Alexander suggested that Cejudo stay in his category so as not to 'suffer' against heavier athletes. The statements were made in a recent interview with the program 'Submission Radio'.
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“Stay in your league, Henry. Let’s go!” said the Australian.
Despite not agreeing with Henry's wishes, Volkanovski made a point of praising the North American's achievement, who, last weekend, became another of the Ultimate athletes to hold two belts in different categories in the company. On that occasion, the Olympic champion beat the Brazilian Marlon moraes in contention for the vacant bantamweight belt in UFC 238.
“Honestly, what he has achieved is unbelievable. It was great for him. I bet he would win, but I didn't imagine he would have as many problems as he did”, said Alexander referring to the first round of the fight, in which Marlon did very well, intensely attacking the North American.
Regarding Cejudo's desire to win three titles, something unprecedented in the UFC, the featherweight cited the reasons why he thinks it wouldn't be a good idea for Henry. For the Australian, speed and strength are mandatory to be successful in the top division.
“To come to featherweight, in addition to needing to be fast – and we are very fast – you have to remember that we have more strength than he imagines. This category is very strong, with a lot of tough guys, who I'm sure he won't want to face. Maybe he wants to test himself, and maybe the UFC wants to give him that chance. But his desire to fight here will end in the first fight,” said Alexander.
If Ultimate meets the wishes of the bantamweight champion and really allows the fighter to venture into the featherweight division, Volkanovski said that, if he were to face Henry, his greater strength and size would make the difference and give him an advantage even if he were taken down by Cejudo, known for being Olympic Wrestling Champion at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
“If you knock me down, I’ll get up every time. My fitness is excellent, and I'm very strong for it. I'm also good at long distance, and Cejudo is much smaller than me. I know how to use my reach even against tall opponents. Imagine what I can do with someone half my size”, said the athlete.
Alexander is currently ranked first in the lightweight rankings. The fighter achieved a great position after defeating the Brazilian José Aldo, UFC 237, in Rio de Janeiro, and placed himself in the position of challenger for the category title. A leg infection, however, sidelined the Australian for a while, and he ended up losing place to Frankie Edgar, who faces the title holder, Max Holloway, in July.
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