Henry Cejudo Meets Marlon Moraes For The Vacant Bantamweight Crown At UFC 238
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UFC 238 in Chicago, Illinois officially has it’s curtain closer. A vacant Bantamweight title tilt between current Flyweight best Henry ‘The Messenger’ Cejudo and 135lbs mainstay ‘Magic’ Marlo Moraes has been confirmed for the June 8th event. Cejudo is attempting to become just the fourth mixed-martial artist in UFC antiquity to claim ‘champ champ’ status, after he prized the 125lbs gold from Demetrious Johnson in 2018, before successfully defending against T.J. Dillashaw in January.
News broke last week of Colorado star Dillashaw’s flagging from USADA after an “adverse finding” stemming from a pre fight drug test at UFC Fight Night Brooklyn, with the former Team Alpha MMA prospect immediately relinquishing his title.
Brazilian striker and grappling phenom Marlon Moraes has surged through the division’s elite since his contentious debut loss to Raphael Assunçao, stopping the likes of Aljamain Sterling, Jimmie Rivera and compatriot Assunçao via a guillotine from mount in the pair’s recent run-back. Firmly establishing himself as the top contender to the throne at 135lbs, Moraes gets his premier promotional title opportunity this summer.
Bantamweight contenders Aljamain Sterling and UFC 235 big winner Pedro Munhoz have been overlooked by UFC brass in favour of Cejudo, with the Brazilian Munhoz eyeing somewhat of a title eliminator with Serra-Longo’s “Funk Master” in the near future.
UFC 238 takes place from the United Centre in Chicago, Illinois on June 8th. with a Flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and the resurgent Jessica ‘Evil’ Eye booked for the co-main event. Clashes between Kaytln Chookagian and Joanne Calderwood is also on deck along with an exciting meeting of Strawweight contenders Tatiana Suarez and Nina Ansaroff.Â
- Felice Herrig faces Xiaonon Yan and Tai Tuivasa is pitted against Blagoy Ivanov on a so far action packed summer card for the organisation.
Senior writer for FightBook MMA. An aspiring mixed martial arts reporter based in Ireland. Producer of news articles, interviews, opinion features, and exclusive features such as, ‘The Fallout’, ‘The Breakdown, and, ‘This Week In MMA’.
