Henry Cejudo has pulled out of his scheduled bout against Merab Dvalishvili, which was set to take place tonight at RAF 08 in Philadelphia. The withdrawal is due to an injury sustained by Cejudo. As a result, the new main event will feature Arman Tsarukyan facing Urijah Faber. The event is presented by Real American Freestyle. No details were provided about the nature or severity of Cejudo's injury or when he might return.
Henry Cejudo has been forced out of his bantamweight bout against Merab Dvalishvili, which was scheduled to headline RAF 08 in Philadelphia on April 18. An injury to Cejudo prompted the withdrawal, though no details about the nature or severity of the setback have been disclosed, nor has any timeline for his return been offered.
Cejudo, 39, carries a 16-6 record and holds the ninth-ranked spot in the bantamweight division. The American wrestler and striker out of Fight Ready lands 3.82 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy, and averages 1.84 takedowns per 15 minutes. Known as "Triple C," he stands five-foot-four with a 64-inch reach.
Dvalishvili, ranked first in the bantamweight division and second in the pound-for-pound standings, now finds himself without an opponent. The 35-year-old Georgian, nicknamed "The Machine," holds a 21-5 record and fights out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team. He is one of the most relentless wrestlers in the sport, averaging a remarkable 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes, and also paces the division with 4.33 significant strikes per minute.
Stepping in to headline the Real American Freestyle card instead is a bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Urijah Faber. Faber, the 47-year-old veteran known as "The California Kid," brings a 35-11 record and fights out of Team Alpha Male. He stands five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach and averages 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, a reminder of the grappling threat he has carried throughout his career.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili, the top-ranked bantamweight, loses a high-profile showcase that could have positioned him for a title shot or clarified the division's hierarchy.
- Cejudo's path back into bantamweight title contention is now uncertain with no return date given.
- Tsarukyan and Faber inherit the main event spotlight at an event already disrupted by the late withdrawal.
