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- Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo disagrees with Simone Biles quitting in the Olympics.
- The former Olympian says Biles “needs to check herself” and be shown some “tough love.”
- More sports news here.
Former UFC bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo, unlike many athletes in the world of sports, doesn’t think Simone Biles should be pulling out of all her Olympic gymnastics events.
Cejudo, who is the only person to win an Olympic gold medal and a UFC championship, winning gold in freestyle wrestling at the age of 21 at the 2008 Olympics, says all Biles needs is a little “tough love” and a “kick in the arse.”
“I believe Simone Biles pulling out of this thing is like, I think she really needs to check herself,” said Cejudo, who at the time of his Olympics win was the youngest American to win gold in wrestling. “I think there’s time for a little bit of tough love. If she was my sister, this is exactly what I would do,” said Cejudo. “So, I would never say something that I wouldn’t do to my personal family or anything like that. Or even for me, because I do believe sometimes we do need a nice kick in the arse.”
Related: McKayla Maroney Discusses Simone Biles’ Reason For Quitting: Mental Blocks ‘Can End Your Career’
He then added, “People say the media created her and you know they put upon this pressure. Not really. They only give you a platform, a limelight. It’s up to you to believe it and to accept it. If you start to think you’re the GOAT and the greatest of all time, then that’s on you.”
Cejudo continued, “There’s two things that pressure can do. Pressure could either break, or it could make diamonds. Pressure could either bust pipes or it can create and make diamonds. You choose what to do for it, or what to do with it, remember that.”
Many fans agreed with Cejudo’s take on Biles’ withdrawal from Olympics events.
If she has a goat 🐐 tattoo! Nooombre brah 🤦🏽♂️ , she has to put up or shut up! If she talking the talk she has to walk the walk
— GORDO (@mfgordo) July 30, 2021
Nothin but facts from the gold medalist and simultaneous 2 division UFC champ !! 😎🥇👑
— Francesco Bartucci (@fbartucci44) July 30, 2021
While many more people on Twitter thought what Cejudo said was dead wrong.
Guy with ONE Olympic medal mentors girl with 6. Outstanding... pic.twitter.com/xP1HrlkYZh
— Art of Blah (@ArtofBlah) July 30, 2021
Simone Biles has a record breaking 6 Olympic Gold Medals.🥇
She doesn't need to prove a thing to you, me or herself. That she pulled out to open the door for her teammates only shows she is not full of herself.— Laura, just a regular pilot turned writer (@LauraSavino747) July 31, 2021
Do you even know what twisties are? She was having them, and it’s super dangerous to keep competing with that.
— Carmen Valentina (@ClubCarmenXXX) July 31, 2021
…”the twisties” are not be to played w/ mid-air. When one considers the dire consequences to the spinal cord after getting lost in the air—I see parallels 🧠 between Simone & Rose🌹 after her 1st fight w/ Andrade. Unlike MMA, most don’t appreciate the risk gymnasts take ✊🏼
— Dominique Moceanu (@Dmoceanu) July 30, 2021
Respectfully, this is not a tough love kind of moment. She has a condition that came on after she got to the games which prevents her from knowing where she is mid-air. As high as she soars it would be insane to attempt any of it when she’s not in complete control of her body.
— Michelle (@UR_Huckleberry_) July 31, 2021
USA Gymnastics has confirmed that Biles will participate in the balance beam final for her country on Tuesday after withdrawing from the vault and uneven bar individual competitions over the weekend.