Ahead of his first UFC main event, rising flyweight contender Asu Almabayev thinks Henry Cejudo should retire again following UFC Seattle.
Cejudo suffered a technical decision loss after an accidental eye poke by Song Yadong. This marks the 38-year-old’s third consecutive loss since his return from a brief retirement. When asked about penalties for fouls, Almabayev, who is headlining UFC Vegas 103 against Manel Kape, focused on Cejudo’s future instead of rule discussions.
“I’m not a judge, so I can’t comment on scoring or point deductions,” Almabayev told. “I didn’t watch the full fight, just the eye poke incident and the fight’s conclusion.”
“But realistically, Cejudo isn’t the fighter he once was. If you announce retirement, you should probably stay retired. MMA is a young man’s sport. If your body and mind are telling you it’s time to stop, then it’s likely time to stop.”
The 31-year-old Almabayev is entering his biggest fight with a 17-fight winning streak, including a 4-0 UFC record. He is replacing Brandon Royval, who withdrew due to injury.
Regarding the ongoing debate about officiating and point deductions, Almabayev believes it depends on each specific situation.
“Situations vary,” Almabayev said. “Many things happen during a fight, so decisions should be made case by case.”
