Henry Cejudo entered UFC Seattle hoping to end his losing streak and make a final push for the title. He even opened a fortune cookie at the weigh-ins, which predicted a fourth-round TKO win. However, fate had different intentions. The fight did make it to the fourth round, but rather than a knockout, it ended in controversy. Cejudo took the full five minutes to recover from an unintentional double-eye poke by Song Yadong, but his vision remained impaired. Finally, the ringside doctor intervened, causing a halt that resulted in a technical decision in Yadong’s favor.

So, what is a technical decision you ask? Well, the fight would have ended in a No Contest if it was stopped during the third round when the eye poke happened. And if the referee had decided to deduct points, it would have been a majority draw. So, they decided to let the fourth round begin and then call off the fight to go to the judges’ scorecards. So, rather than a five-round fight, the fight did end at the onset of round 4 as ‘Triple C’ predicted. But unlike the prophecy, he ended up losing the fight with the judges scoring the fight 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 instead.

The decision was not well received by the Seattle crowd, who had already earlier booed Cejudo ruthlessly when he took the full recovery time. Some attacked ‘Triple C’ for continuing beyond the first five minutes and then claiming he couldn’t see. But others, such as the commentators noted that the eye poke was severe enough to warrant the stoppage. Meanwhile, Song Yadong expressed dissatisfaction with the way the bout ended, noting that he preferred a clean victory over a technical decision.

This defeat surely casts questions on Cejudo’s future in the biggest MMA promotion in the world. ‘Triple C’ had previously stated that he would not continue until he had a real chance for another title shot. With three consecutive defeats, the chances of a title fight seem to be gone. At 38 years old, this could be the time he decides to walk away permanently. While Cejudo has yet to make a formal retirement announcement, fans are already wondering if this was the last time they saw ‘Triple C’ in the Octagon. But why did he even decide to continue the fight if he couldn’t see? Well, that’s where his team comes into the equation.

Henry Cejudo’s team might’ve cost him the fight

Henry Cejudo’s loss against Song Yadong at UFC Seattle not only called into question the officiating but also brought attention to his own corner. Despite clearly stating that he could not see out of his left eye, Cejudo’s team encouraged him to continue. In a video that is going viral on the internet, ‘Triple C’ continually tells his corner, “I cannot f—— see,” yet his coaches encourage him to continue rather than call for a stoppage.

Had they made the difficult decision to end the bout straight away, Cejudo might have escaped with a No Contest rather than a technical decision loss. This is not the first time a fighter’s team has been criticized for putting toughness ahead of safety. Cejudo, known for his unwavering willpower, may not have wanted to quit, but that is exactly where his corner should have stepped in. Instead, they let him go out for another round with impaired vision, which could have resulted in a much more devastating injury.

Given the severity of the eye poke and the outcome of the bout, Cejudo will have to have a tough talk with his staff. After all, UFC fighters rely on their coaches to make the right decisions in high-pressure situations, but in this case, allowing him to continue likely lost him the fight. With three consecutive losses on his record, Cejudo’s career could be over. If he does return, one thing is certain: he may need to reconsider the advice he’s receiving from his side. What do you think? Was it his team’s fault? Let us know in the comments.