WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Cejudo paved the way
A bold move to come to the Olympic Training Center while in high school paid off for the Olympic gold medalist and UFC contender
By Craig Sesker
LAS VEGAS – Kyle Snyder left family and friends behind as a high school senior to pursue his wrestling dreams. So did Adeline Gray and Helen Maroulis. Those difficult and bold decisions paid off in the development and maturation of those three young wrestlers, who each cap- tured gold medals at September’s World Championships in Las Vegas.
Snyder, Gray and Maroulis followed a path that first gained attention when Henry Cejudo left his hometown of Phoenix in 2004 for the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Cejudo trained at the OTC while attending Coronado High School during his junior and senior year. Snyder attended Coronado as a prep senior while training at the OTC. Gray and Maroulis trained together at the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Mich., while attending high school there as seniors.
Cejudo won the U.S. Senior Open as a high school senior in 2006 before earning a silver medal later that year at the Junior World Championships. He followed by making his first U.S. Senior World Team at age 20 in 2007.
Cejudo then embarked on a historical and magical 2008, where he captured an Olympic gold medal in Beijing, China. He became the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. histo- ry when he struck gold at age 21.
“I made a very big decision at a very young age to commit myself to being a World and Olympic champion,” Cejudo said. “It wasn’t easy at all, leaving home to go to Colorado Springs. It took a lot of hard work and dedication, and some very tough training under the watchful eye of his coach Terry Brands. “I think I paved the way for a lot of these young kids like Kyle
Snyder, Aaron Pico, Spencer Lee and Mark Hall to do the same thing. I became a pioneer by competing in Senior-level events at a very young age. How many guys have won the U.S. Open as a senior in high school? Some of these kids are doing some special things and it’s great to see. It takes a lot of dedication, commitment and sacrifice to reach your goals sometimes.” After winning Olympic gold in 2008, Cejudo stepped away from the sport for much of the next Olympic quad. He returned for the 2012 Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, falling short of making the U.S. squad after dropping an epic match to past World Team member Nick Simmons.
Now 28 years old, Cejudo has jumped into Mixed Martial Arts and has become a star in the Ultimate Fighting Championships. He is unbeaten in MMA and is considered a top contender in the UFC at 125 pounds. Cejudo is ranked fifth in the UFC’s flyweight category. Demetrious Johnson is the current champion in that division.
18 USA Wrestler
Henry Cejudo left his home in Phoenix as a high school junior to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center en route to winning Olympic gold in 2008. John Sachs photo.
Cejudo could be in line for a title shot at Johnson if he wins his next fight against Brazilian Jussier Formiga on Nov. 21 in Mexico City. Formiga is ranked No. 3 in the flyweight class. “It’s going to be a tough fight,” Cejudo said. “I am just continu- ing to train hard and get better. I’m looking forward to the chal- lenge. I still love to compete. The fire and hunger is still there. I want to be the best, no doubt about it.” Cejudo is 8-0 in his MMA career and unbeaten since joining the UFC last year.
“Demetrious Johnson is very good and very tough – he’s another guy with a big wrestling background,” Cejudo said. “I
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