Ex-UFC Champ Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili - ‘He’s in Trouble'

Henry Cejudo sees Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili going one of two ways at UFC 306.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Henry Cejudo has got his eyes on the next UFC title fight.

Sean O'Malley Rips Merab Dvalishvili, Discredits 'Black Belt Grappler' Trait

The former two-division UFC Champion has been apart of the title conversation at 135lbs since 2019, but now Cejudo finds himself the odd man out after two losses to then-champ Aljamain Sterling and current #1 contender and next title challenger Merab Dvalishvili, losing to him at UFC 298 in February.

Dvalishvili's win over Cejudo, his third ex-champ in a row, secured him a title shot against UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O'Malley in the main event of UFC 306 (Noche UFC) on Sep. 14.

Cejudo Says He Fought Dvalishvili With A Torn Groin

As for his last opponent, injuries have caught up with the 37-year-old Cejudo, who revealed he wasn't at 100% when he returned against Dvalishvili and dropped a unanimous decision earlier this year.

"When I fought Merab, I fought him with a torn groin," Cejudo told Home of Fight. "It was like part 3 tear on my right side, so I couldn't wrestle. It had nothing to do with really Merab's wrestling. It was more the fact that I didn't wrestle the whole camp, and then now he's bringing in the wrestling and it fatigued me. The first round was perfect and brilliant, but even after that first round, I knew I was in trouble... Once that round was officially over, I'm just like, man, I'm not feeling good."

UFC: Cejudo vs. Dvalishvili. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

"There's no excuses here," Cejudo said, adding the risk was worth the reward in a fight against Dvalishvili, knowing the winner would likely fight for the title - as we're seeing with Dvalishvili and O'Malley headlining UFC 306 next month.

Being the #6 contender in the bantamweight division, Cejudo's dreams of becoming a two-time champ are all but crushed, but he hopes to get back to winning ways and obtain yet another career title shot.

UFC's Henry Cejudo. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Triple C's Prediction For O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili

Nobody knows who will be the champion by then, but Cejudo would like to rematch Dvalishvili for the belt - believing the Georgian has what it takes to dethrone a striking sniper like Sean O'Malley. Though, Cejudo doesn't think it will be all that easy.

"I think Merab, dude. That's who I would want to take out," Cejudo continued. "I do believe that he's gonna he's gonna take out Sean O'Malley. But I will say this, and quote me on this, [if] Sean beats him, he beats him at the beginning of the first round or at the beginning of the second. But as the fight goes on, he's in f****** trouble."

"He's in trouble," Cejudo said of O'Malley. "He could catch him because Merab has been caught like me. He's been caught hard by me. I'm just like, 'Damn.' But, I catch people with hooks in there, they'll go down. He's been caught by Marlon Moraes, he's wobbly, shaking knees, he's able to come back."

We're OFFICIALLY one month out! 🚨@SugaSeanMMA vs @MerabDvalishvil @AlexaGrasso vs @BulletValentina

[ @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC will be LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV from @SphereVegas ] pic.twitter.com/ebJZrN1IAu

— UFC (@ufc) August 14, 2024

"He Could Maybe Even Stop O'Malley..."

While Merab Dvalishvili has only one win by finish inside the UFC - the aforementioned TKO victory over Marlon Moraes - Henry Cejudo thinks "The Machine" has the potential to stop Sean O'Malley within the distance in the biggest fight of his life.

"As the fight gets - as it prolongs, I do think that he could be in the position where he could maybe even stop O'Malley," Cejudo noted.

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