ANAHEIM, California – Dana White, the CEO of UFC, is known for not making fights on the night of the event. However, there are exceptions, as was the case on Saturday. After UFC 298 at Honda Center, White spoke to reporters and expressed his thoughts on the fights. “He performed exceptionally well tonight,” White said during a post-event press conference. “He did what he needed to do. In my opinion, taking a three-year break in a combat sport is never a good idea. Cejudo looked impressive in the first round, but he seemed to tire out in the second. On the other hand, Merab only got stronger as the fight progressed.”
On March 9, at UFC 299 in Miami, the bantamweight title will be up for grabs. Champion Sean O’Malley will have a rematch against his long-time rival Marlon Vera. O’Malley, with a record of 17-1 in MMA and 9-1 in UFC, will defend his title against Vera, who has a record of 23-8-1 in MMA and 15-7 in UFC.
If Dvalishvili, 33, continues his winning streak, he may face the winner of the O’Malley vs. Vera fight. Dvalishvili is looking to extend his 10-fight winning streak and seize his first-ever UFC title opportunity. Notable victories for Dvalishvili include Petr Yan, Jose Aldo, and Marlon Moraes.
Dvalishvili’s victory over Cejudo on Saturday came after an 11-month break from fighting. He dominated the majority of the second and third rounds, earning unanimous 29-28 scores from the judges (to the delight of the crowd, including Mark Zuckerberg).
According to the Source mmajunkie.usatoday.com