LOS ANGELES (AP) — Henry Cejudo pulled off one of the most impressive upsets in mixed martial arts history at UFC 227 to become the first Olympic gold medalist to win a UFC title.
Cejudo ended Demetrious Johnson’s nearly six-year reign as the UFC flyweight champion Saturday night at Staples Center, earning a split-decision victory over the most dominant active champion in the sport.
Cejudo (13-2) is an Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler who only started training in mixed martial arts five years ago, but he used five takedowns and relentless offense to earn the decision over the fighter widely considered the pound-for-pound best in MMA.