SUMMARY
- Henry Cejudo is all set to take on Merab Dvalishvili in a number 1 contender fight at UFC 298
- Cejudo believes that if he loses, he would rather retire than start at the bottom of the mountain again.
Henry Cejudo is all set to face Merab Dvalishvili in his upcoming fight. Having come out of retirement to face Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288, Cejudo was unsuccessful in his attempts to recapture his old title. With that said, it appears as though he is already considering calling time on his career, again.
For those unaware, Henry recently made an appearance on The HJR Experiment Podcast. Hosted by Harrison Rogers, the show features legendary UFC athletes like Frank Mir and Quinton Jackson as they interview other renowned entities. Among the things asked of Cejudo, was the question of how his fight camp was going.
After revealing that he would be taking on Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298, Henry had something unexpected to say. “If I have to lose it to Aljamain, I think if I was gonna maybe go down the ladder, I would probably be done with fighting again”. As such, ‘Triple C’ emphasized the importance of the fight adding, “It’s all or nothing, man”. Whilst Harrison Rodgers was shocked, Frank Mir cut a more understanding figure.
Henry Cejudo’s failed comeback against Aljamain Sterling
Stating how his life is at the moment, Henry Cejudo reveals that there is a lot of struggle with training camps and his regular life. A father to two kids, reveals that he doesn’t need to be fighting if it’s not for titles. Now 36, and a former double champ in the UFC, there is not much left in the game for the fighter. As Frank Mir also suggests, it does not make sense for Cejudo to start again at the bottom of the mountain.
Ahead of his return at UFC 288 against Aljamain Sterling, there was a long struggle from Cejudo. According to the former champ, he wanted an opportunity to win back his old title. Subsequently, he would challenge for the featherweight title afterward. Eventually, his prayers were answered and he was given the fight against Sterling.
#UFC288 Official Scorecard: Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) vs Henry Cejudo 👇
All Tonight’s Scorecards➡️: https://t.co/NwuseKRMCj pic.twitter.com/qcrfi8JVlv
— UFC News (@UFCNews) May 7, 2023
On the night, the two fighters out in a disappointing display with neither able to establish their dominance. In the end, Sterling was awarded the split decision victory, with neither fighter showing signs of any injury or fatigue. Whilst Aljamain had more strikes and takedowns, Cejudo had just over 5 minutes of control time. Although close, the contest was won by the rightful fighter.
Henry Cejudo reveals the true motive behind his UFC return
Following his loss to Aljamain Sterling, it was back to the drawing board for Henry Cejudo. Understanding that he needed a win to get back into title contention, Cejudo asked for a tough opponent. Thus, the UFC willingly complied and gave him a fight against Marlon Vera. Unfortunately, ahead of UFC 292, Henry was ruled out of the fight due to a shoulder injury.
Thus, with major movement at the top of the division, there is still hope for Cejudo. However, his fight against Merab Dvalishvili will be his last, should he lose. However, Henry also revealed the reasoning behind his decision. “It’s more of a motivation of vengeance. It’s not like it’s the love (for the sport), no not really”. “Even coming back to the sport, I was like ‘Yeah, I wanna test myself, I like this matchup, it’s been three years,'”Cejudo adds.
Henry Cejudo and Merab Dvalishvili will throw down in Anaheim at UFC 298, sources confirmed with @marcraimondi.
Sources said nothing has been signed, nor have bout agreements been received. But the fight is verbally agreed to by both sides. pic.twitter.com/XjQBVo1Dmo
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 10, 2023
As such, a fight for the number one contender is a reasonable draw for him. Notably, the winner of the contest will likely face whoever has the title after Sean O’Malley and Chito Vera fight at UFC 299. Although it is a little unlikely, there is a small chance Cejudo could get another title shot. Whether he will or not, only time will tell after UFC 298 rolls around.