Henry Cejudo recently slammed the current UFC Hall of Fame selection process, arguing that it needs higher standards. Cejudo believes inducting fighters too easily diminishes the honor of induction, emphasizing that championships should be essential.
‘Triple C’ didn’t hold back, comparing the difficulty of being inducted to that of other professional sports’ Hall of Fame. During his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Cejudo told co-host Kamaru Usman that not everybody deserves an induction. The former two-division UFC champion argued that there needs to be a clear distinction between really good fighters and great fighters.
“The [UFC] Hall of Fame is so new that it’s [expletive] weird. Because how they started off the Hall of Fame, to be inducted. Do you believe a lot of these guys that have got inducted, belong at your level? And that’s the quite honest truth,” Cejudo said. “Baseball, golf, you know how hard it is? Wrestling. And I’m going to get a lot of [expletive] heat and this is not hate on anybody.”
He added:
“You cannot just throw people [in the Hall of Fame] to throw them in there.”
Cejudo’s stance carries weight, as he won a UFC championship in two different divisions and successfully defended both at least once.
Henry Cejudo Says Raising UFC Hall of Fame Standards Could Upset Some Fighters
Henry Cejudo also said that raising the standards of the UFC Hall of Fame may upset some fighters. ‘Triple C’ used Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier to illustrate his position on merit.
During his podcast episode, Usman raised the question of whether Gaethje and Poirier would be deserving under Cejudo’s criteria. Cejudo answered by saying they would. However, the former two-division UFC champion noted that raising standards would ultimately create a fairer selection process.
“[Gaethje’s] entertained us so much. But we also got to base things on merit,” Cejudo said. “Where do we draw the line on being fair?”
He added:
“It’s about being fair for those who have actually won and those who are not inducted into the Hall of Fame just yet,” Cejudo said. “You know who I believe deserves to be in the Hall of Fame? Benson Henderson. And he’s not in. So, how can you skip guys like that with guys who have never won?”
Cejudo Says Higher Hall of Fame Standards Raises Its Prestige
Cejudo also said that higher standards it would elevate the prestige of the UFC Hall of Fame.
‘Triple C’ cited USA Wrestling’s standards of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an example. He referenced Daniel Cormier, who represented USA Wrestling at the Olympics but has yet to be inducted.
“Daniel Cormier, two-time Olympian, World’s bronze medalist in wrestling, what he’s been able to do in the UFC. He’s not even inducted to the USA Wrestling Hall of Fame and that [expletive] hurts him,” Cejudo said during on Pound 4 Pound. “And I’m just like, ‘Daniel, I don’t know if you did enough, bro, in wrestling.’ And he gets it, bro.”
Cejudo emphasized that because of the high standards, his own induction remains one of the proudest moments of his career.
“Other than me winning the Olympic gold medal, the most important thing after becoming Olympic champion is being inducted into the [National] Wrestling Hall of Fame.”
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