Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

“Daniel Cormier TV - Henry Cejudo on Payton Talbott, FINAL UFC FIGHT before RETIREMENT”

Date: December 6, 2025
Host: Daniel Cormier
Guest: Henry Cejudo

Episode Overview

In this special episode, Daniel Cormier sits down with longtime friend and UFC legend Henry Cejudo ahead of Cejudo’s final fight before retirement. The conversation is a heartfelt retrospective on Cejudo’s storied career—spanning his beginnings as a 16-year-old at the Olympic training center to becoming an Olympic gold medalist and two-division UFC champion. The episode explores Cejudo’s mindset heading into his last bout against rising star Payton Talbott, reflections on legacy, lessons learned, and what's next beyond the Octagon.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Beginnings, Friendship, and The Passing of Time

• Cejudo and Cormier reminisce about meeting as teens at the Olympic Training Center, marveling at how fast their careers and lives have gone by.
• “Time goes fast, man. Time goes fast though, right? ... To think fast forward all these years, it’s like time just flies.” — Daniel Cormier (03:42)
• Cejudo expresses gratitude for his journey and the people who have supported him, especially as he reflects on retirement:
  • “Now that I’m a little older ... I feel like there’s more gratitude, man. ... I’m able to say thank you to my coaches, my training partners.” (04:54)

Transition & Giving Back

• Financial security and business interests now take precedence for Cejudo, who owns 15 real estate properties and runs a content business.
• Cejudo emphasizes the importance of “legends taking care of legends”:
  • “Kevin Jackson ... told me this and it meant the world to me ... ‘Legends always take care of legends.’ ... If they don’t understand business, branding, sales, that—you’ve got to be able to help them.” (06:21)

Lessons Learned & Adversity

• Cejudo discusses formative lessons from legendary coaches, especially maintaining perspective and resilience.
• He shares stories of adversity, like wrestling in borrowed shoes and overcoming tough losses.
  • “When I first started wrestling, bro, I couldn’t afford shoes. ... Somebody recognized me ... and gave me his daughter’s shoes.” (09:01)
• On adversity:
  • “I appreciate the adversity and everything that I’ve gone through ... it’s given me a lot of different emotions to ... teach my kids one day.” (09:48)

Career Stages: From Prospect to Retirement

• Cejudo reflects on each phase: prospect, champion, and now retirement.
  • Admits he was not fond of being a contender or ranked in the top 10; it’s “all or nothing.”
  • “That’s partially ... why I don’t even want to be in it, because ... I have that Terry Brass mentality, ... it’s all or nothing.” (11:26)
• He acknowledges the difficulty in balancing personal aspirations, business, and family.

Facing Payton Talbott: The Final Challenge

• Talbott is identified as a dangerous, young striker—a classic old lion vs. young lion narrative.
• On getting a young opponent for his final fight:
  • “They had asked before... ‘What do you want your last fight to be?’ ...I’m like, give me somebody young and hungry.” (12:53)
• Cejudo downplays any resentment; facing up-and-comers is “just part of the game.”

The Motivation for Competing (and Retiring)

• Cormier and Cejudo discuss the unique fire of competition and why it’s almost impossible to replace.
• Cejudo has “fallen in love” with content creation and business, and sees fighting as no longer the only avenue to provide—a significant shift post-parenthood.
  • “I wasn’t ... planning on, on fighting in and having kids. ... I wanted to be done and, you know, dedicate myself to doing business or whatnot, but that’s just not life.” (14:20)
• On the desire to provide for family:
  • “The lifestyle you’re trying to obtain for them means more to me than, than legacy.” (14:44)

Legacy and Final Reflections

• On dealing with the temptation to return after a win:
  • “I conquer, I move on. And I’m just able to say that confidently and not have that itch.” (21:51)
• Greatest career moment:
  • “Beating Demetrious Johnson. ... He’s definitely on Mount Rushmore. 11 title defenses. ... It meant a lot to me.” (22:24)
• On how he wants to be remembered:
  • “You hate or love me ... people will pay attention to you. ... Whenever the camera does go on me on the UFC, ... I appreciate getting booed.” (23:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On time and legacy:
  • “So this is not me just saying this as an... anybody that just has interviewed you ... I’ve seen the journey. ... One of the greatest combat careers I’ve ever seen, man.” — Daniel Cormier (04:40)
• On competition:
  • “It’s hard to replicate that feeling of competition, especially when that’s the fire that burns inside of you.” — Daniel Cormier (05:40)
• On financial advice to legends:
  • “Legends always take care of legends.” — recounted by Henry Cejudo from Kevin Jackson (06:21)
• On adversity:
  • “I would legit be in my house ... and I would just look at the shoe and just keep looking at them.” — Henry Cejudo (09:26)
• On fan reactions:
  • “I appreciate getting booed ... It reminds me I did it right.” — Henry Cejudo (23:42)
• On facing final temptation:
  • “Most greats, when they do say, ‘this is it for me,’ they get a taste of that sweet victory ... and they keep going. ... How are you gonna fight that desire to come back?” — Daniel Cormier (20:43)
  • “I conquer, I move on.” — Henry Cejudo (21:51)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Reminiscing & Beginnings: 03:15 – 04:54
• Career Reflections & Giving Back: 04:54 – 07:48
• Adversity & Life Lessons: 08:12 – 09:48
• From Prospect to Retirement: 10:12 – 12:01
• Facing Payton Talbott/Last Fight: 12:05 – 14:44
• Family, Motivation, Transition: 14:46 – 15:06
• Tactics vs. Talbott: 19:39 – 20:43
• Overcoming Comeback Temptation: 20:43 – 22:16
• Greatest Moments & Legacy: 22:16 – 24:34
• Closing Tribute: 24:34 – 25:06

Tone & Style

Reflective, personal, honest, and respectful—two battle-tested legends sharing a genuine conversation as equals, blending lighthearted banter with deep insight about sports and life.

Takeaways

This episode is an intimate celebration of Henry Cejudo’s extraordinary journey—his achievements, mindset, motivations, and his vision for life outside of competition. For fans, it’s a rare and honest window into the soul of an all-time great as he steps away on his own terms.

Don't miss Cejudo vs. Talbott at UFC 323—the final chapter of a remarkable combat sports story.