In his comeback fight, Cejudo fought then-bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 in Newark, New Jersey. In an extremely close main event, Sterling got the better of Cejudo on two of the three judges’ scorecards. The defeat stung, as Cejudo was now three wins away from the goal he came out of retirement to achieve.
“Do I regret retirement,” Cejudo asked himself. ” No not at all. Actually, when I had my injury and was out for a year before coming back and fighting Dominick Cruz, that’s when I knew it was time to hang it up. How many people have fun while they’re hurt? I had the chance to do a lot of things, to know myself a little more, so I don’t regret anything.
MORE UFC 298: Dom Cruz breaks down the Main Event | MMA coaches react | Merab in advance | Co-main overview
“That being said, I want it all. Either I’m going to win the world title or this is it for me. I’m not here to be a fighter, to sign posters, to be cool. I’m here to take what’s mine.
The loss lit a fire under Cejudo, who went straight back to the gym to prepare for the next biggest challenge the UFC could offer him. This challenge: Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria on February 17. The number two bantamweight contender has won each of his last nine fights and is coming off a record-breaking performance against Petr Yan in which he attempted 49 takedowns.