- Joined
- Aug 15, 2016
- Messages
- 1,638
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- 311
i remember when The Messenger first debut in 2014 in a boring fight against Dustin Kimura, despite being the youngest Olympic gold medalist for wrestling I felt like he didn’t show much promise in the ufc or mma kn general. It is well documented that he took a large sabbatical from athletic competition after wrestling before going into MMA. Even then it looked like a another hype job at the time. 3 same fights later he goes into a title eliminator against formiga.
When he fought Formiga it was boring wannabe grapple feat that Cejudo barely won. Mighty mouse starched him in their first fight. His striking was piss poor, virtually had zero foot movement and struggled to make wrestling a dynamic part of his MMA skill set despite his previous accolades ala Yoel Romero. (They can get guys down but can’t hold them down).
But then something happened, the master of cringe rebounded against Benavidez who despite losing because of a egregious foul point (should definitely have been a draw) he somehow became a striking wizard. It was shocking watching him use his foot movement to dart in and out against Wilson reis. His wrestling wasn’t used for offence and used more defence and it paid dividends. His rematch against Mighty Mouse solidified that this wasn’t the same guy that last brutally finished two years ago. He was competitively fighting against a p4p great and got the nod (regardless if you thought he lost, the fight was very close).
And bam he fights a rounded out dillashaw and smokes him in the first round (it was glorious). That push at the beginning was the funniest shit when rewatching. I felt like the Messenger has really become a complete fighter. And I love the fact he is fighting another great complete fighter in marlon Moraes who is on a absolute tear.
I know everyone is salivating at Ferguson-Cerrone, but let’s not forget the main event of ufc 238 for the UFC BW title is absolute fire.
Change my mind if you think someone has improved better than Cejudo has.
TLDR; Henry Cejudo is the most improved fighter, look at him from debut to him against Wilson Reis. Completely different fighter and for the better. Change my mind
When he fought Formiga it was boring wannabe grapple feat that Cejudo barely won. Mighty mouse starched him in their first fight. His striking was piss poor, virtually had zero foot movement and struggled to make wrestling a dynamic part of his MMA skill set despite his previous accolades ala Yoel Romero. (They can get guys down but can’t hold them down).
But then something happened, the master of cringe rebounded against Benavidez who despite losing because of a egregious foul point (should definitely have been a draw) he somehow became a striking wizard. It was shocking watching him use his foot movement to dart in and out against Wilson reis. His wrestling wasn’t used for offence and used more defence and it paid dividends. His rematch against Mighty Mouse solidified that this wasn’t the same guy that last brutally finished two years ago. He was competitively fighting against a p4p great and got the nod (regardless if you thought he lost, the fight was very close).
And bam he fights a rounded out dillashaw and smokes him in the first round (it was glorious). That push at the beginning was the funniest shit when rewatching. I felt like the Messenger has really become a complete fighter. And I love the fact he is fighting another great complete fighter in marlon Moraes who is on a absolute tear.
I know everyone is salivating at Ferguson-Cerrone, but let’s not forget the main event of ufc 238 for the UFC BW title is absolute fire.
Change my mind if you think someone has improved better than Cejudo has.
TLDR; Henry Cejudo is the most improved fighter, look at him from debut to him against Wilson Reis. Completely different fighter and for the better. Change my mind
