Henry Cejudo has pulled out of his scheduled bout against Merab Dvalishvili. The post does not provide details about the reason for the withdrawal or the event from which he withdrew. No information was given about a potential replacement opponent or whether the fight will be rescheduled. The brief nature of the announcement suggests details remain limited at this time.
Henry Cejudo has withdrawn from his scheduled bantamweight bout against Merab Dvalishvili, according to an announcement made on April 18, 2026. No reason for the pullout was given, and there is currently no word on a replacement opponent or whether the matchup will be rescheduled.
Cejudo, 39, holds a professional record of 16-6 and is currently ranked ninth in the bantamweight division. The American wrestler and former two-division UFC champion trains out of Fight Ready and carries a striking output of 3.82 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy, complementing an active grappling game that produces 1.84 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Dvalishvili, nicknamed "The Machine," enters this situation as the number-one ranked bantamweight and the second-ranked fighter on the pound-for-pound list. The 35-year-old Georgian, who trains with Serra-Longo Fight Team, owns a 21-5 record and is one of the division's most relentless pressers, averaging 4.33 significant strikes per minute alongside a punishing 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili is the top-ranked bantamweight contender, meaning any withdrawal leaves a significant title-contention bout in limbo.
- Cejudo, ranked ninth, would have had a chance to vault up the divisional ladder with a win.
- The stylistic clash between Dvalishvili's elite wrestling volume and Cejudo's own grappling credentials made this a meaningful matchup at 135 pounds.
- No timeline for rescheduling has been provided, leaving Dvalishvili's path forward uncertain.
