Henry Cejudo has pulled out of his scheduled bout against Merab Dvalishvili, which was set to take place at RAF08 in Philadelphia. The withdrawal is due to an injury sustained by Cejudo. As a result of this cancellation, the new main event for the card will feature Arman Tsarukyan versus Urijah Faber. The event was scheduled for the night following the announcement. No further details about the nature or severity of Cejudo's injury have been disclosed.
Henry Cejudo has been forced out of his bantamweight matchup against Merab Dvalishvili at RAF08 in Philadelphia due to an injury, reshaping the card's main event less than a day before the event was set to take place.
Cejudo, 39, entered the bout ranked ninth in the bantamweight division with a professional record of 16-6. The American wrestler and striker out of Fight Ready has built his career on a well-rounded game, averaging 3.82 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy while also contributing 1.84 takedowns per 15 minutes. The nature and severity of his injury have not been disclosed.
His scheduled opponent, Merab Dvalishvili, holds the number-one bantamweight ranking and sits second in the pound-for-pound standings with a record of 21-5. The 35-year-old Georgian, training out of Serra-Longo Fight Team, is one of the most relentless grapplers in the sport, averaging an extraordinary 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes to go along with 4.33 significant strikes per minute.
With Cejudo out, the promotion has elevated a new main event pairing Arman Tsarukyan against Urijah Faber. Faber, the 47-year-old veteran known as The California Kid, carries a 35-11 record and represents Team Alpha Male. Standing five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach, Faber averages 2.65 significant strikes per minute and attempts 0.8 submissions per 15 minutes, reflecting a career built on a combination of sharp boxing and active grappling.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's path to his next title opportunity is now uncertain following the late withdrawal
- Cejudo, already ranked ninth at 39 years old, faces questions about his availability and timeline with an undisclosed injury
- The replacement main event of Tsarukyan versus Faber carries significant style contrast, with Faber's submission threat meeting a striker in Tsarukyan
