Breaking: Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili set for blockbuster clash at UFC 298

Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo are officially scheduled for a fight in early 2024.

In May, Cejudo returned from a three-year layoff for a bantamweight title fight against Aljamain Sterling. ‘Triple C’ ultimately came up short by split decision, but he quickly announced his plans to come back and continue hunting for a UFC title.

Cejudo later called out Dvalishvili, who was recovering from a hand injury acquired earlier this year. Well, ‘The Machine’ overcame the injury, and he's right to return, leading to his fight against ‘Triple C’ being booked.

Earlier on Sunday, Cejudo announced on his YouTube channel that he will face Dvalishvili on February 17 at UFC 298.

The event will take place inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, with Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight title against Ilia Topuria in the main event. Cejudo vs. Dvalishvili will be on the main card, with the possibility of snagging the co-main event spot.

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What’s at stake between Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo?

Merab Dvalishvili is the number two-ranked UFC bantamweight, with Henry Cejudo closely behind at number three. Therefore, the winner between them on February 17 is expected to earn a 135-pound title shot, depending on what happens a month later.

On March 9, Sean O’Malley will defend his bantamweight throne for the first time since defeating Aljamain Sterling. Standing in his way is Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, who defeated ‘Sugar’ by first-round knockout in August 2020.

Assuming a rematch is needed, Dvalishvili or Cejudo will likely face whoever emerges from the UFC 299 main event with the bantamweight title.