Angel Cejudo is an American
freestyle wrestler
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling i ...
who won the
Dave Schultz Memorial International freestyle wrestling tournament in the 60 kg (132 lbs) weight class on February 5, 2008.
Later that same year he trained with his brother
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo (born February 9, 1987) is an American professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and Freestyle wrestling, freestyle wrestler. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) UFC Flyweight Championship, Flyweight Ch ...
in
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
, who would win an Olympic gold medal at the
2008 Beijing Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Nat ...
.
Wrestling career
Angel Cejudo went 150–0 for
Phoenix Maryvale High School in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
on the way to four 5A state titles. In 2005, he turned down a scholarship at
Arizona State University
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
to work out at the
U.S. Olympic Training Center
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers (OPTCs) are two campuses created by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Spri ...
full-time.
Angel Cejudo and his brother Henry earned spots on the 2005 FILA Junior Freestyle World Team.
At 60 kg/132 lbs., Angel Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) beat Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Pitt WC). In bout one, Angel Cejudo defeated Drew Headlee of Waynesburg, PA by pin in 1:58. In the second bout, Angel Cejudo defeated Drew Headlee by dec. 3–0, 1–0. Angel Cejudo won the series, two matches to none. Angel Cejudo is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete.
On November 20, 2005 and again wrestling at 60 kg, Angel Cejudo (Sunkist) won 3rd place by defeating by dec. Jason Wichinski (Cabbagetown), 2–0, 4–0.
In 2006, he was ranked ninth in the U.S. Senior freestyle ranking by themat.com at the 60 kg weight class.
In 2007, he failed to qualify for the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials in freestyle wrestling.
In 2008, he won the Dave Schultz Memorial International in the 60 kg weight class. Also in 2008, Angel Cejudo entered the U.S. Olympic trials seeded ninth after not placing in the 2008 U.S. Nationals competing for the 60 kg (132 pounds) weight class. Cejudo went 1–2 at the trials in Las Vegas, eliminated by Nate Gallick from Tucson Sunnyside who finished third. The US team did not do well enough in the 60 kg qualifying tournaments to earn a wildcard into the Competition from
FILA
Fila Holdings Corp. is a sportswear brand of shoes and apparel. The company was founded by Ettore and Giansevero Fila in 1911 in Coggiola, near Biella, Piedmont, Italy. In 2003, it was sold to United States-based Sports Brand International. Sub ...
, the governing board of international wrestling.
Personal life
Angel Cejudo states that his wrestling improved on his way to winning the Dave Schultz Memorial International in the 60 kg weight class after his mother moved to Colorado to be with him and his brother.
Angel Cejudo continued wrestling at the Riches Wrestling Complex to help his brother, Henry, prepare for the US Olympics. His brother Henry won the
Beijing Olympic Gold medal in 2008 for the 55 kg weight class.
Angel Cejudo was in attendance with his sister Gloria and brother Alonzo. His mother was sick and unable to make it, for which he broke the explanation to the media that his mother gets nervous and throws up during the matches.
[Gary Abbott (August 28, 2008]
"Olympic champion Cejudo scores big on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"
''Team USA''.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cejudo, Angel
American wrestlers
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
Living people