UFC 298: Henry Cejudo beaten by Merab Dvalishvili, Anthony Hernandez secures submission win over Roman Kopylov
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Updated 18/02/2024 at 05:36 GMT
Former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo lost via unanimous decision to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298. Cejudo started well but couldn't match the Georgian in rounds two and three as he suffered his second defeat in a row. In the first fight of the main card, America's Anthony Hernandez extended his winning streak to five with a second-round submission win over Roman Kopylov via rear naked choke.
Henry Cejudo gives his thoughts after losing to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288
Image credit: Getty Images
Merab Dvalishvili secured a unanimous decision victory over former bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 to make it nine UFC wins in a row.
The Georgian was slow out the gates but picked up the pace in rounds two and three, with the judges all scoring it 29-28 in his favour.
After a cagey opening, it was the former champion who landed the first significant blow, rocking Dvalishvili onto his heels with a quick left hook.
Dvalishvili responded to complete the first takedown, although Cejudo sprung back to his feet quickly and then ate a right hand before finding himself in top position in a strong end to the first round.
Renowned for his wrestling, it was on the feet where Dvalishvili found success in the second, landing some good combinations in the middle part of the round as Cejudo’s pace slowed.
A late guillotine attempt from Dvalishvili looked like it was in deep but Cejudo survived to set up a decisive final round.
With the momentum in his favour, the Georgian pressed home his advantage, landing a series of knees and then lifting his opponent aloft and carrying him around the Octagon before slamming him to the canvas.
Cejudo attempted a late takedown but it was to no avail as Dvalishvili added another former champion to his resume.
Never one to shy away from bold predictions, Cejudo said before the contest that he would consider retiring if he couldn’t return to the winners' circle, so it remains to be seen what the future holds for one of the promotion's biggest characters.
In the first bout of the main card, Anthony Hernandez extended his winning streak to five with a second-round submission win over Roman Kopylov.
Both middleweight contenders came into the contest having won their last four fights but it was the American who improved his record when he locked in a rear naked choke little over three minutes into round two.
Kopylov had his moments, landing a slick counter at the start of the second, but Hernandez was relentless from the outset.
He attempted 11 takedowns in the opener and found a home for his right hand but Kopylov withstood the early onslaught well to stay on his feet.
Hernandez was briefly wobbled by a quick right from Kopylov in the second but it only momentarily halted him in his tracks before he got the takedown he’d been pursuing.
He didn’t get under the chin immediately but just when it appeared Kopylov had got himself out of danger, Hernandez reworked the position to force Kopylov to tap.
The 30-year-old admitted he’s “made some mistakes” in his career to this point in the aftermath but targeted a “run at the title” now he’s back on track.
“I’ve been conditioning my body, that was my weak point at first,” he added. “Now I’m unstoppable I feel like, and I’m ready to show the world.”
UFC 298 prelims
Kicking off the prelims, welterweight Danny Barlow finished Josh Quinlan in the third round after landing a slick left and following it up with an accurate flurry to get the stoppage win.
Up next, China’s Zhang Mingyang announced himself on the light heavyweight stage with a stunning first-round knockout of Brazil’s Brendson Ribeiro. The pair traded from the outset but it was Mingyang who closed the show with a brutal right-left combination, followed by some ground and pound for good measure.
Rinya Nakamura won a technical affair in the bantamweight division against late replacement Carlos Vera, with all three judges scoring it 30-27 in favour of the Japanese 28-year-old.
Brazil’s Marcos Rogerio de Lima utilised his calf kick to devastating effect to get the better of Australia’s Junior Tafa and earn the stoppage win a minute and 14 seconds into the second round.
Closing out the prelims, Amanda Lemos beat Mackenzie Dern in a three-round classic in the women’s strawweight division. Lemos almost earned the knockout win midway through round two but Dern recovered superbly to put it in the hands of the judges, who all scored it 29-28.
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