Cejudo withdraws from Dvalishvili bout due to injury; Tsarukyan vs. Faber new main

Henry Cejudo has been forced out of his bantamweight clash with Merab Dvalishvili at RAF08 in Philadelphia due to an injury, reshuffling the card's main event. Arman Tsarukyan and Urijah Faber will now headline the event in his place. No details about the nature or severity of Cejudo's injury have been disclosed.

Cejudo, 39, holds a 16-6 record and is ranked ninth in the bantamweight division. The American wrestler and striker out of Fight Ready brings a striking output of 3.82 significant strikes per minute and averages 1.84 takedowns per 15 minutes, though his compact five-foot-four frame and 64-inch reach present unique physical challenges at 135 pounds.

Dvalishvili, the Georgian standout ranked first in the bantamweight division and second in the pound-for-pound rankings, now finds himself without an opponent. The 35-year-old "The Machine" is one of the most relentless grapplers in the sport, averaging a remarkable 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes and carrying a 21-5 record under the Serra-Longo Fight Team banner.

Stepping into the main event spotlight is Urijah Faber, the 47-year-old veteran known as "The California Kid." Faber owns a 35-11 career record and represents Team Alpha Male. He averages 2.65 significant strikes per minute and 1.54 takedowns per 15 minutes, with 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes pointing to an active grappling game.

Why it matters

• Dvalishvili, the top-ranked bantamweight, loses a high-profile opportunity and will need a new opponent scheduled
• Cejudo's ninth-ranked position and comeback trajectory face an uncertain delay with no timeline given for his return
• The replacement main event pairs Tsarukyan with a combat-tested veteran in Faber, significantly altering the night's divisional stakes