Henry Cejudo wasn’t too impressed with Merab Dvalishvili’s dominant win over Petr Yan at UFC Fight Night 221.
Dvalishvili (16-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) attempted a UFC record 49 takedowns en route to a shutout unanimous decision win this past Saturday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Although Cejudo predicted that outcome, he vows that Dvalishvili wouldn’t have this type of success against him.
Cejudo (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) challenges Dvalishvili’s training partner, bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, at UFC 288 on May 6. He sees Sterling as a more stern challenge.
“For my fight with Sterling, I have a feeling he’s gonna fight the way he fought Pedro Munhoz. I’m expecting that,” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel. “Real high pace, real volume, a lot of movement, a lot of lateral stuff, but he could also come in and just wing.
“These guys are the same fighters all the time. Aljamain, he just flows with his fighting, he’s a freestyler. This guy (Dvalishvili), you know he’s gonna press, you know he’s gonna do all this to shoot. This is why a guy like Merab would be easy money. I’d hurt that dude. I’d let him in on my legs, make him carry my weight, and then take him down.”
Cejudo thinks he could end up fighting Dvalishvili sooner than expected. “Triple C” is still convinced that Sterling won’t make it to their fight and wants Dvalishvili as the backup.
“Dear Dana White, I’m over here watching the No. 2 and No. 3 contenders, and I’ve got a feeling that (Aljamain) is more likely to back out of this fight,” Cejudo said on Twitter. “So that being said, why don’t you give me Merab? Give me Merab since Sean O’Malley wants to wait. He wants to take his time. Why we don’t make Merab the backup at UFC 288. Why don’t we do it that way?
“That way it’s both of these training partners, because I have a feeling Aljamain is going to eventually back out, but I want to make sure. It’s going to be the same game plan from both of these chumps: wrestle, strike, every time they throw something heavy, they go in for takedowns. Anyway, Dana White, if you’re listening to me, let’s have Merab as a backup, Newark, N.J., UFC 288, because I want both of them. If I can fight both of them the same night, they can both get it.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 221.
