SUMMARY
- Henry Cejudo will take on Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298.
- The bantamweight fight is expected to have an implication on the title picture.
UFC 298 is right around the corner, and it features some of the biggest stars in the company right now. The Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski will defend his title against Ilia Topuria in the main event, and former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will go up against Paulo Costa in the main event.
But, those are not the only fights on the card. Former UFC double-champ Henry Cejudo is also making his return at the PPV. After losing his title shot against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288, Cejudo is back again in a quest to regain his bantamweight title. However, he is matched up against Merab Dvalishvili, who is perhaps the worst matchup for any fighter at the moment.
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While Cejudo has only one fight in the last three and half years, Merab has been on the marauding run in the same period. The Georgian fighter is on a 9-fight-win streak and has made quite a name for himself for having a bottomless pit of energy. Even at the age of 33, Dvalishvili is an unstoppable force. Can Cejudo derail the train? Let’s find out.
UFC 298: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo stats
Stats | Merab Dvalishvili | Henry Cejudo |
---|---|---|
Wins | 16 | 16 |
Losses | 4 | 3 |
Height | 1.68 m | 1.63 m |
Division | Bantamweight | Bantamweight |
Reach | 172.7 cm | 162.6 cm |
Age | 33 | 37 |
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo: Fight breakdown and prediction
Henry Cejudo, who once dominated both flyweight and bantamweight, will have a tough job against Merab Dvalishvili. As per UFC Stats, Henry is quite passive in terms of striking. With only 3.93 strikes per minute, Cejudo opts for a cautious approach. However, the Olympic gold medalist wrestler has an elite grappling game and averages 2.07 takedowns per match. Not only that, but he also has an 87 takedown defense as well.
Merab Dvalishvili, on the other hand, is an absolute beast on the mat. With an inhuman 6.55 takedowns per fight, Dvalishvili overwhelms his opponents with his grappling at every possible instance. His striking output is also better than Cejudo’s, with 4.46 strikes per minute. As Petr Yan found out, Merab really lives up to his nickname, “The Machine.”
On paper, Merab Dvalishvili will have a massive advantage over Henry Cejudo. From height to reach to age, everything is in favor of Aljamain Sterling’s best friend. However, Cejudo has the experience of being in big fights and can get under Merab’s skin with his antics. But, at the end of the day, it will be Dvalishvili who’ll start the fight as the favorite.