Dana White explains reason Henry Cejudo didn’t get microphone after UFC 298 loss - ‘He already retired’

ANAHEIM, CALIF - Sorry, “Triple C,” you don’t get a second mixed martial arts (MMA) retirement moment.

Merab Dvalishvili scored a gigantic win at UFC 298 last night (Sat., Feb. 17, 2024), defeating former two-division champion, Henry Cejudo, via unanimous decision and scoring a long-awaited future Bantamweight title shot in the process.

Cejudo warned everyone during UFC 298 fight week that if he lost to Dvalishvili, he would retire from MMA again ... and he did. However, it wasn’t a point of interest during the pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast because he wasn’t given microphone time to announce it.

During UFC 298’s post-fight press conference (watch it here), UFC CEO, Dana White, explained the reason(s) Cejudo didn’t get another retirement moment.

“Listen, Merab was in a position where he wouldn’t fight his friend,” White said. “You know how we love that here when you want to do that. I haven’t been thrilled with Merab, I don’t like that attitude — you fight everybody, you do whatever. Merab went in there tonight, and he beat the former champion Henry Cejudo.

“Henry Cejudo already retired,” White continued. “He did the whole drop the gloves thing. Tonight was Merab’s night. Merab went in there and fought the No. 3 guy in the world — a former world champion — and he won easily. Tonight was Merab’s night. If he wants to retire again, he could do that here or somewhere else. You don’t give the mic to Cejudo — tonight was Merab’s night.”

UFC has been hot-and-cold with fighter retirements. Sometimes the promotion knocks it out of the park like Robbie Lawler, sometimes it drops the ball in the case of Shogun Rua. In this case, Dana White and Co. just didn’t seem to want to be bothered.

It had a lot going on, too.

Cejudo will probably interview with ESPN next week or drop something on his YouTube channel officially announcing his second retirement, and we won’t hear from him again until he gets inducted into UFC’s Hall of Fame.

So, if this is the end of “Triple C”, he wraps up his career with a 16-4 record and two UFC championship belts in two different divisions.

“C-4” diffused.

For complete UFC 298 results, coverage and highlights, click HERE.