Henry Cejudo Books Bantamweight Revenge Match
Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo is set to face Merab Dvalishvili at RAF08 in a high-stakes bantamweight rematch. Cejudo is seeking to avenge a prior loss in a pivotal fight that could significantly realign the title picture in one of the UFC's most competitive divisions.
Their first encounter at UFC 298 in February 2024 ended in a unanimous decision victory for Dvalishvili. While Cejudo found some success in the first round, Dvalishvili's relentless pressure and wrestling controlled the latter part of the fight, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in his favor. This rematch finds Henry "Triple C" Cejudo in a critical career position, currently winless in four fights since coming out of retirement in 2023. His post-retirement record includes losses to Aljamain Sterling in a title bid, Dvalishvili, Song Yadong, and Payton Talbott. Merab "The Machine" Dvalishvili is coming off a title loss to Petr Yan at UFC 323 in December 2025. Prior to that defeat, the Georgian-born fighter had amassed a formidable 14-fight winning streak, the fourth-longest in the history of the UFC. Dvalishvili's impressive streak included victories over three former UFC champions: José Aldo, Petr Yan in their first meeting, and Cejudo himself. He holds the UFC record for the most takedowns landed in the promotion's history. The bantamweight division's landscape has shifted, with Petr Yan now reigning as the champion after defeating Dvalishvili. A victory for either Cejudo or Dvalishvili would immediately thrust them back into the title conversation against top contenders like Sean O'Malley and Umar Nurmagomedov.
