Former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo will fight Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298 on Feb. 17 in Anaheim, potentially determining the next title contender.
We’re looking at a potential new bantamweight title contender here. Ex-champion Henry Cejudo is set to face off against Merab Dvalishvili. This featured bout is part of UFC 298, happening on Feb. 17 in Anaheim, Calif.
Now, this isn’t just hearsay. The news was confirmed by multiple insiders from the promotion. Cejudo himself first announced the matchup on his YouTube channel.
Cejudo’s got his sights set on the future. “This fight’s going to decide who’s actually going to fight eventually the winner of Chito Vera versus Sean O’Malley,” he said. He’s pumped, but unsure if his fight will co-headline with Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski. Regardless, he’s certain the fight will be wild.
Cejudo’s no newbie to the UFC. This will be his second appearance since coming out of retirement. He’s still chasing that first win after losing to Aljamain Sterling in a title fight last May. If he can beat Dvalishvili in February, he could be back in the running for a title.
Dvalishvili’s got his own ambitions. He’s aiming for his 10th consecutive win when he takes on Cejudo. Born in Georgia, this bantamweight thought he’d already have a shot at the title after beating former champion Petr Yan. But the UFC had other plans, booking Sean O’Malley against Marlon “Chito” Vera instead for UFC 299 in March.
Now, Dvailishvili’s got his sights set on Cejudo for early 2024. He’s hoping to add another ex-champion to his resume.
“I give him respect and I give all my opponents respect, especially Henry Cejudo,” Dvailishvili said. He considers Cejudo the greatest champion, even after his defeat by Aljamain Sterling. He’s excited and sees this as a big test.
Dvailishvili’s got a nine-fight win streak. He’s taken on and beaten all comers. He believes he deserves a title fight, but he’s got another test in Cejudo. He’s grateful for the opportunity and knows he has to do his best. He’s determined to earn another title fight, and hopefully, this time, he’ll get to fight the winner of Chito Vera and Sean O’Malley.
Cejudo vs. Dvalishvili is just one of the exciting fights in the UFC 298 lineup. Featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski will be defending his title against Ilia Topuria in the main event.