TLDR
- Henry Cejudo will make his boxing debut on September 26 against influencer boxer Deen the Great
- The fight takes place at James L. Knight Arena in Miami as part of a Misfits Boxing event
- Cejudo retired from MMA in December after losing to Peyton Talbott at UFC 323
- The 39-year-old has returned to wrestling, competing twice for Real American Freestyle in 2026
- Deen the Great holds a 7-1 record in exhibition boxing matches
Sources: mmafighting.com | si.com
Henry Cejudo is adding boxing to his combat sports resume. The former Olympic gold medalist and two-division UFC champion will make his boxing debut on September 26 against influencer boxer Deen the Great at James L. Knight Arena in Miami.
Misfits Boxing and Cejudo announced the fight on Wednesday. The match will stream live on DAZN.
Cejudo, 39, retired from mixed martial arts for the second time in December. His final MMA fight was a decision loss to Peyton Talbott at UFC 323.
Since leaving the UFC, Cejudo has focused on wrestling. He competed twice for Real American Freestyle in 2026, defeating Urijah Faber in February before losing to Merab Dvalishvili on points in July.
Cejudo and Dvalishvili are scheduled to rematch this Saturday at RAF 12 in Cleveland. Assuming no injuries occur during that wrestling match, Cejudo will step into the boxing ring five weeks later.
Viral sensation @DeenTheGreat makes his long-awaited return to Misfits Boxing as he faces Olympic gold medalist and former two-division UFC champion @HenryCejudo in a blockbuster showdown 👀
Sep 26 | Miami | Live only on @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/xiA0vgai98
— Misfits Boxing (@MisfitsBoxing) August 19, 2026
Cejudo’s Combat Sports Background
Before his MMA career, Cejudo won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He also has previous boxing experience, winning the Arizona State Copper Gloves tournament in 2010.
In the UFC, Cejudo captured titles in two weight classes. He defeated Demetrious Johnson via split decision at UFC 227 in 2018 to win the flyweight championship.
Cejudo then moved up to bantamweight and stopped Marlon Moraes at UFC 238 to claim the vacant belt. He defended the bantamweight title with a victory over Dominick Cruz at UFC 329 before retiring for the first time.
After a three-year break, Cejudo returned to face Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 in May 2023. He lost a close split decision in his bid to reclaim the bantamweight championship.
Cejudo then suffered losses to Merab Dvalishvili and Song Yadong before falling to Talbott via unanimous decision. That defeat prompted his second retirement from MMA.
Deen the Great’s Boxing Record
Nurideen Shabazz, known as Deen the Great, is one of the more successful influencer boxers competing today. He holds a 7-1 record in exhibition matches.
Shabazz made his Misfits Boxing debut in 2022 with a first-round knockout of Stuart Kellog. He also scored a knockout victory against Walid Muhsein in his first professional bout later that year.
Since then, Deen the Great has competed exclusively in exhibition matches. He defeated Shazan Idrees at Brandrisk Promotions 4 in February 2025.
The 25-year-old suffered his first loss at Misfits Mania in December. Amado Vargas, son of world champion boxer Fernando Vargas, defeated him via unanimous decision.
The September 26 fight marks Deen the Great’s return to the ring after nine months away. He will face the most accomplished combat sports athlete of his career when he meets Cejudo in Miami.
