In a captivating showdown at the Honda Center, Merab Dvalishvili, the relentless Georgian wrestler, put on a career-defining performance, stifling former double-champion Henry Cejudo to earn a dominant unanimous decision victory at UFC 298.
The narrative surrounding this bout was a classic clash of styles. Dvalishvili, the grappling virtuoso known for his relentless chain wrestling, versus Cejudo, the Olympic gold medalist wrestler who found extraordinary success in MMA mixing his base with sharp and powerful striking. It was a test that had fight fans around the world eager to see how these two elite wrestlers would neutralize each other’s strengths.
From the opening bell, Cejudo immediately set the tone, pressuring Dvalishvili against the cage and even clipping him with a nicely timed counterattack that had him visibly rocked. “The Machine” then clung to Cejudo, demonstrating his relentless cardio as he hunted for openings while forcing Cejudo to expend critical energy just to remain upright.
Cejudo’s initial strategy proved ineffective against Dvalishvili’s smothering offense. Unable to secure a single clean shot in the opening frame, the former champion’s renowned power punches failed to deter his Georgian counterpart. While Cejudo found openings occasionally in the second round, delivering quick combinations after scrambling free, Dvalishvili always answered. Every Cejudo flurry led to an emphatic double-leg or body lock attempt from the Georgian fighter. Each time they separated, Dvalishvili initiated the offensive again, seemingly unfazed by Cejudo’s vaunted power.
With a look of increasing frustration, Cejudo shifted his game plan in the third round. Understanding that the judges likely had the fight one round a piece at this point, the former titleholder wanted to use his lateral movement to stay on the outside but that was a lot easier said than done as Dvalishvili’s relentless takedowns and grappling pace were deemed too much for “Triple C”.
As the final buzzer echoed through the arena, the crowd erupted, with some stunned as to how completely Dvalishvili had neutralized Cejudo’s arsenal. He controlled the majority of the bout, suffocating Cejudo with his pace and forcing the former two-division champ to fight by his rules.
While Dvalishvili’s victory marked his ninth consecutive win, its significance was much greater. With a victory over arguably one of the best combat sports athletes of all time, Dvalishvili staked his claim as the top contender in the bantamweight division. He not only proved he could deal with adversity against a dangerous opponent, but he also solidified his position for a title shot.
This win by Merab Dvalishvili made its way around social media where fans and fighters alike took the moment to recognize what he just accomplished here tonight at UFC 298.
“Merab Dvalishvili is the most delightfully insane person in the UFC and I’m here for it.”
– Luke Thomas
“Merab Dvalishvili is the best damn bantamweight in the sport. That was stupid impressive.”
– Shaheen Al-Shatti
“Give Merab Dvalishvili a title shot!! That man is an animal and a real threat at bantamweight.”
– Megan Anderson
“Sheesh … Good luck beating Merab Dvalishvili. The dude is an animal.”
– Danny Segura
UFC 298 has delivered a memorable clash of wills so far. Whether Cejudo will return to seek another comeback remains a question for another day, but one thing is for sure, Merab Dvalishvili has cemented his place among the bantamweight elite and the road to the title now runs through him. The rest of this UFC 298 main card is still to come with the UFC featherweight championship on the line in the main event between the reigning and defending featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and the surging undefeated prospect Ilia Topuria.
More must-reads: