Henry Cejudo suggests UFC title fight for contender coming off loss

Henry Cejudo calls Sean O'Malley a 'stupid' fight for UFC Champ Merab Dvalishvili, offers Cory Sandhagen.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Henry Cejudo thinks Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2 would be flat out 'stupid'.

A few weeks removed from Dvalishvili's successful title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311, it's still a mystery as to who the UFC bantamweight champion will draw in his return. It's eemingly a two-way decision between former foes (and champs) Petr Yan and Sean O'Malley, who Dvalishvili dethroned at UFC 306 last September.

A rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley looks to be a possibility for the UFC. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

At least, that's how Dvalishvili sees it, the title shot likely going to either man in April or June, he revealed to Southern Cross Combat. Yan's made a case for a rematch with Dvalishvili since losing five rounds to him, stringing together back-to-back wins over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.

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Cejudo On O'Malley Rematch, Other Challenger For Dvalishvili

O'Malley, another option, hasn't fought since losing the belt to Dvalishvili.

Former two-division champion Cejudo doesn't mind if the next title fight goes to a contender coming off a loss... as long as it's not O'Malley.

Merab Dvalishvili largely dominated Sean O'Malley when they met at UFC 306. / Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

"I think that's stupid," Cejudo said of Dvalishvili potentially fighting O'Malley again in an interview with Home of Fight's Jake Noecker. "It's not like O'Malley's a pay-per-view king. Like his fights don't do s***, man. I think the person that they should give him [Cory] Sandhagen."

Ranked #4 in the bantamweight division, Cory Sandhagen is the only other fighter in the Top 5 besides Deiveson Figueiredo that has yet to fight Dvalishvili. Sandhagen was circling towards his first undisputed title fight after three wins in a row, but then that's when Umar Nurmagomedov happened.

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Sandhagen's Chances vs. Dvalishvili

One of a select few fighters to sign the contract vs. Nurmagomedov, Sandhagen lost the fight and title opportunity by unanimous decision. Even so, Cejudo can make sense of a fight between him and the champ Dvalishvili next.

Cory Sandhagen is a potential option for Merab Dvalishvili's next title defense. / Aaron Meullion-Imagn Images

Sandhagen's only lost to the elite at 135lbs, TJ Dillashaw, Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling... his style prevailing against many others: John Lineker, Marlon Moraes, 'Chito' Vera, the list goes on for the UFC veteran.

"Sandhagen makes a lot of sense. Sandhagen could potentially beat him... that knee is tricky," Cejudo said of Sandhagen's KO of Frankie Edgar via step-in knee. "I mean, I still think Merab beats him, but he has the tools to really shut out Merab's freaking lights. That's the cool thing about it."

it's a bird...it's a plane...it's CORY SANDHAGEN#OnThisDay in 2021, @CorySandhagenX knocked out Frankie Edgar with a FLYING KNEE! 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/T8pvan1dht

— UFC on This Day (@UFConThisDay) February 6, 2025

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No one in the UFC has shot for or landed more takedowns than Dvalishvili, leaving many to wonder if a crafty contender like Sandhagen, who utilizes his knees very well, could catch "The Machine" on the chin coming in. As the saying goes: styles makes fights.

Merab Dvalishvili 2-0 against Petr Yan & Sean O'Malley, we'll see if the UFC entertains a third, brand new option in Cory Sandhagen.

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