Henry CejudoAndrew Hipps recently caught up with Cejudo to talk about his impressive U.S. Nationals performance, his relationship with Terry Brands, his thoughts on Sammie Henson, and his decision to forgo collegiate wrestling to train freestyle.
First off, congrats on your U.S. Nationals title. Did you surprise yourself with your performance in Las Vegas? Or, was this something you kind of expected?
Cejudo: Yeah, I always expect to win. Because of the way we train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, it's something I expected to accomplish.
What is a typical day like for you?
Cejudo: It depends on the day, actually. But I wake up in the morning and workout. Then I go right to school. Get out of school, go to practice. After practice, do extra stuff, extra workouts. And then after that, go to my room, do homework, and go to sleep.
It seems as though your life pretty much revolves around wrestling. Do you ever get tired of wrestling?
Cejudo: No, as you long as you keep winning, you never get tired of it. It's all about your goals.
Who are your daily training partners?
Cejudo: I work out with my brother, Angel. I also work out with Michael Lightner, Bill Zadick, Gabe Burak, Pat McCaffrey, and a few other guys, too.
I read a story where you were quoted as saying if Terry Brands would have been hired as the new head coach at Ohio State job, you would have probably followed him there and wrestled folkstyle in college. Is that true?
Cejudo: It was a thought.
So it wasn't a done deal that if Terry got the job you were packing your bags for Columbus, Ohio?
Cejudo: No, they kind of quoted me wrong. I said it would have been a thought for me, but freestyle right now is kind of my desire.
Henry Cejudo (Photo/John Sachs)Cejudo: Conditioning. Especially hand fighting. A lot of motion. He tells me, 'Don't stop wrestling. Get it, get it.' He's helped me mentally. I've always been mentally tough, but he's just made me want it more.
How long have you been working with Terry Brands?
Cejudo: I started working with him last spring, so it has officially been a year now.
In your opinion, what is the one area of your wrestling that you need to improve the most?
Cejudo: I really don't want to say.
Sammie Henson has been the dominant wrestler this weight class for over a decade. What's it going to take to unseat him and make the U.S. World Team?
Cejudo: It's going to take a lot of hard work. Realistically, just capitalizing off his mistakes and doing what's right.
As you get ready for the World Team Trials in late May, do you train specifically for Henson?
Cejudo: No, I train for everybody. But he's the man right now.
You won your fourth straight state high school title this season. After having so much success at senior level events, like the New York Athletic Club Holiday Championships, was it tough to get motivated against lesser competition?
Cejudo: Actually, yeah, it was. It wasn't so exciting anymore. I remember my freshman and sophomore years, it was exciting. Once I started training at the OTC, everything became different.
Would you say that you were bored in high school competition?
Cejudo: No, I just didn't think it was very exciting.
Have you officially ruled out collegiate wrestling? Or is that still an option at this point?
Cejudo: It's still an option. Nothing is for sure yet. But as of right now, it's freestyle at least until 2008.
Did you take any official college visits? And if so, which colleges did you at least consider?
Cejudo: Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Arizona State.
In your opinion, were you the best 125-pound high school or collegiate folkstyle wrestler in the country this season?
Cejudo: Oh, yeah, without a doubt.
Do you like wrestling freestyle more than folkstyle?
Cejudo: Yeah, I would say so. Freestyle is the style that I train every single day.
Henry Cejudo (Photo/John Sachs)Cejudo: Freestyle is the style that you can win world and Olympic medals.
Was there a wrestler that you looked up to when you were growing, someone you enjoyed watching?
Cejudo: Not really. But I did have a video on Zeke Jones when I was young. I guess he was one of the guys I looked up to.
Is it a tough cut for you to get down to 121 pounds?
Cejudo: Yeah, actually it is. People don't know this, but I'm pretty big. I don't cut like some of the other guys do, but, yeah, I cut a fair amount of weight.
What are your short term and long term wrestling goals right now?
Cejudo: Short term is just to get through the World Team Trials. And then go to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, get that done. And then get the Junior World Team Trials done, too. And then after that, it's just to win them all, win all the World Championships.
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