
48. Henry Cejudo
Here is a clear example of when an athlete overestimates their value. Cejudo was an Olympic gold medalist as well as a two-weight UFC champion. However, he was never a massive draw in terms of fan appeal. After he defeated Dominick Cruz in 2020, he instantly retired. This came out of nowhere but then he began talking about super fights in the ensuing press conference.

It instantly became clear that this was a tactic to demand more money. But the UFC refused to play ball and put their former champion on ice. They didn’t meet his financial demands and he sat out for over two years. It was one of the least constructive contract holdouts ever. Dana White didn’t appreciate Cejudo’s attempt to extort the organization (via Sportskeeda).