UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes — June 8, 2019, United Center, Chicago, Illinois. Henry Cejudo, the reigning UFC Flyweight Champion who had ended Demetrious Johnson’s record-setting reign at UFC 227, moved up to bantamweight to fight for the vacant BW title after T.J. Dillashaw was stripped following a positive EPO test. Cejudo stopped Marlon Moraes by TKO at 1:13 of round three to become the UFC’s second simultaneous FW+BW champion. Valentina Shevchenko made her first UFC Women’s Flyweight title defence in the co-main, stopping Jessica Eye in round one with the most one-sided title fight in recent memory. And Tony Ferguson’s second-round TKO of Donald Cerrone further cemented his status as the LW division’s most unstoppable force.
UFC 238 delivered three legitimate title-fight-quality performances at the top of its card and stands as one of the most stacked Chicago events in UFC history. For the full 2019 context, see UFC 237.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: June 8, 2019
📍 Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ PPV
🏆 Main Event: Cejudo vs. Moraes — Vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship
✅ Result: Cejudo def. Moraes via TKO (punches) — R3 1:13
🥇 Champions: Cejudo (NEW BW + FW) | Shevchenko retained Women’s FW
The Build-Up
T.J. Dillashaw had been stripped of the UFC Bantamweight Championship in January 2019 after testing positive for EPO in a sample collected before his flyweight debut against Cejudo. The title was vacated, and Cejudo — having defended the FW title — elected to move up and compete for the vacant BW belt. Moraes had built one of the division’s most impressive win streaks, finishing five consecutive opponents and establishing himself as the legitimate number-one contender. The fight had a clear technical dynamic: Cejudo’s wrestling and Olympic gold medal base versus Moraes’ striking precision and aggressive front-foot style.
Shevchenko’s first Women’s FW title defence was against Jessica Eye, and the matchup was considered a comfortable night for the champion. Shevchenko had won the inaugural title at UFC 231 and was considered the most technically complete 125 lb fighter in the world by a significant margin. Tony Ferguson’s continued run through LW contenders placed him in a category of his own below the Khabib title picture.
Main Event — Cejudo vs. Moraes
Henry Cejudo vs. Marlon Moraes — Vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship
One of the finest three-round BW championship fights in UFC history. Moraes was sharp and dangerous from the opening bell, landing his right hand with accuracy and establishing the striking game plan that had beaten every opponent he had faced in the UFC. In round two, he landed a clean left hook that put Cejudo down briefly — Cejudo survived through instinct and his grappling, clinging to Moraes and dragging the fight to the mat. The crowd at the United Center, aware that Cejudo was hurt, found its voice.
Round three saw Cejudo shift from survival to control. He pressed Moraes against the fence, landed elbows, and opened a cut above Moraes’ eye that worsened quickly. The doctor inspected the cut between rounds; the fight continued. Cejudo then landed a sequence of punches and elbows in the opening minute of round three that forced a stoppage at 1:13. Cejudo had won the BW Championship while retaining the FW title, becoming the UFC’s second simultaneous two-division champion. In the post-fight interview he delivered one of the sport’s most theatrical self-congratulatory speeches and announced himself as “the greatest fighter on the planet.”
Co-Main Event — Shevchenko vs. Eye
Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Jessica Eye — UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship
The most one-sided first-round title fight performance in the Women’s FW division’s history. Shevchenko landed a left head kick at 3:27 of round one that dropped Eye unconscious before her body hit the canvas. The finish was clean, instant, and left no doubt about the gulf between the champion and the challenger. Eye was carried from the cage on a stretcher as a precaution; she recovered fully. Shevchenko’s first title defence reinforced every assessment of her as the division’s defining champion. Tony Ferguson’s R2 TKO of Donald Cerrone in the third main card fight was similarly dominant and extended his LW winning streak.
Full Results
Main Card
Cejudo def. Moraes — TKO (punches) | R3 1:13 | Vacant BW Championship (Cejudo NEW champion)
Shevchenko def. Eye — KO (head kick) | R1 3:27 | Women’s FW Championship (Shevchenko 1st defence)
Ferguson def. Cerrone — TKO (punches) | R2 2:10 | LW
Waterson def. Kowalkiewicz — Split Decision | R5 | Women’s SW
Yan def. Rivera — TKO | R4 | BW
Preliminary Card
Oezdemir def. Reyes — Split Decision | R3 | LHW
Chookagian def. Markos — Unanimous Decision | R3 | Women’s FW
Bonuses & Awards
🏅 Performance of the Night ($50,000 each): Valentina Shevchenko (R1 head kick KO of Eye) and Tony Ferguson (R2 TKO of Cerrone).
🏅 Fight of the Night ($50,000 each): Henry Cejudo and Marlon Moraes, for the three-round BW championship war.
Records & Milestones
Henry Cejudo became the second simultaneous UFC FW and BW champion, following Daniel Cormier’s LHW+HW feat from UFC 226. He was the first 2008 Olympic gold medalist to hold two major MMA world titles simultaneously. Petr Yan’s TKO of Rivera began the run that eventually took him to the BW title. Shevchenko’s R1 head kick KO is the fastest finish in UFC Women’s FW Championship history. Ferguson’s win over Cerrone moved him to 12 wins in his last 13 UFC bouts and made the case for his LW title shot stronger than ever.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 238 is one of the most historically significant Chicago cards, delivering three genuine championship-level performances at the top of the card. Cejudo’s BW win began the double-champion era and launched his claim to pound-for-pound greatness. Shevchenko’s R1 head kick of Eye is one of the cleanest championship finishes in women’s MMA history and a moment that crystallised just how far ahead of her division she was. Ferguson’s performance against Cerrone — methodical, precise, relentless — was further evidence of a fighter at the peak of his powers, continuing a run that had begun to feel unstoppable. The broader 2019 landscape is covered across UFC 236 and UFC 237.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the BW title vacant at UFC 238?
T.J. Dillashaw was stripped of the BW title in January 2019 after testing positive for EPO in a USADA sample collected ahead of his flyweight debut against Cejudo. He was suspended for two years and fined, and the title was declared vacant.
Was Cejudo a simultaneous two-division champion after UFC 238?
Yes. He held the UFC FW title (won at UFC 227) and the BW title simultaneously, becoming only the second fighter in UFC history to hold belts in two weight classes at the same time. He subsequently vacated the FW belt and focused on BW.
How did Shevchenko finish Jessica Eye at UFC 238?
Shevchenko landed a left head kick at 3:27 of round one that rendered Eye unconscious before she hit the canvas. It is the fastest finish in UFC Women’s FW Championship history.
How many wins in a row did Tony Ferguson have at UFC 238?
The win over Cerrone was Ferguson’s 12th consecutive UFC victory, extending what had become the most impressive win streak in the lightweight division. His scheduled fight with Khabib had already been cancelled five times by this point; his form made the anticipated unification increasingly impossible to delay.
Who received the UFC 238 post-fight bonuses?
Fight of the Night: Cejudo and Moraes ($50,000 each). Performance of the Night: Valentina Shevchenko ($50,000) for the R1 head kick KO of Eye; Tony Ferguson ($50,000) for the R2 TKO of Cerrone.
References
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