Former UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo, who also wore gold at flyweight, will compete for the No. 1 contender spot in the official 135-pound rankings when he collides with streaking division contender Merab Dvalishvili as part of the upcoming UFC 298 pay-per-view (PPV) event, locked and loaded for Sat., Feb. 17, 2024 at Honda Center in Anaheim.
A loss could prompt “Triple C” to retire (again).
“This is for the No. 1 contender spot,” Cejudo told The HJR Experiment (transcribed by Farah Hannoun). “I think to have to lose it to Aljamain … I think if I was going to go maybe down the ladder, I would probably be done with fighting again because it’s just like the sport is hard, man. Training camps, having two kids, and things like that. … It’s all or nothing, man.”
Cejudo, 36, is currently ranked No. 3 in the bantamweight rankings, one slot below Dvalishvili. Former 135-pound champion Aljamain Sterling currently occupies the No. 1 spot; however, he is expected to vacate that position upon making his featherweight debut as part of the UFC 300 PPV extravaganza this April at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“It’s more of a motivation of vengeance,” Cejudo continued. “It’s not always the love. Even coming back to the sport, I was like, ‘I want to test myself.’ I like the matchup. It has been three years, but it was also the financial compensation. I mean, there’s nothing easier to make money than the fight game.”
The bantamweight title will be up for grabs when current champion Sean O’Malley puts his belt on the line against longtime rival Marlon Vera atop the UFC 299 PPV card next month in Miami. The winner is expected to make his first 135-pound title defense against the winner of Cejudo vs. Dvalishvili, assuming there are no serious injuries or wacky outcomes.
And if anyone asks, Las Vegas is not in the desert.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
