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 late pullout, the main event has been changed to Arman Tsarukyan versus Urijah Faber. The event is still scheduled to proceed tonight with the new headliner replacing the originally planned bantamweight matchup.
Henry Cejudo has been forced out of his bantamweight matchup against Merab Dvalishvili at RAF08 in Philadelphia due to injury, reshaping the card's main event on the day of the show. Arman Tsarukyan and Urijah Faber have stepped in to headline the evening.
Cejudo, 39, holds a professional record of 16-6 and is ranked ninth in the bantamweight division. The American wrestler out of Fight Ready lands 3.82 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy and adds 1.84 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a consistent threat across multiple phases. His late withdrawal leaves Dvalishvili without an opponent for now.
Dvalishvili, nicknamed The Machine, enters the situation as the number-one ranked bantamweight and the second-ranked fighter pound-for-pound. The 35-year-old Georgian trains out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team and carries a 21-5 record. He is one of the most relentless grapplers in the sport, averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking output of 4.33 significant strikes per minute.
Stepping into the main event, Urijah Faber brings a 35-11 record and a lifetime of experience to the Philadelphia card. The 47-year-old California native, representing Team Alpha Male, stands five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach and averages 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, reflecting the ground danger he can present even at this stage of his career.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili, the top-ranked bantamweight, loses a high-profile opportunity and his divisional path is temporarily disrupted.
- The late main event switch significantly alters the card's competitive stakes heading into fight night.
- Faber, at 47, returning to a main event slot is a notable storyline in itself regardless of divisional rankings implications.
