Merab Dvalishvili has now won 10 straight fights, all but solidifying his position as the next man up for a bantamweight title shot.
On the main card of UFC 298 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) took on former champion Henry Cejudo in an important bout for the 135-pound division. Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) showed flashes of what led him to capture titles in two divisions, but was ultimately overwhelmed by the pressure presented by Dvalishvili, who claimed victory with unanimous 29-28 scores.
Dvalishvili kept Cejudo on his toes early by offering a pair of spinning kicks right out of the gate. Cejudo remained calm and studied the range. Soon enough, Cejudo cracked Dvalishvili with a hard left hand that caused him to stumble backward. A few moments later though, Dvalishvili grabbed a single leg and kicked out the plant foot for a nice takedown, but Cejudo returned to his feet quickly.
