Henry Cejudo reveals the ‘DARK Horse’ of the Bantamweight Division

According to Henry Cejudo, a rising challenger is poised to put the bantamweight class on notice.

Cejudo will compete for the UFC bantamweight title against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 in May. He returns to the ring after a three-year absence after proclaiming his retirement following a victory at UFC 249.

Cejudo hopes to reclaim the bantamweight title and debunk the idea of "ring rust." When he returns to the division he once ruled, it has become more stacked and talented.

Cejudo is unsure how long he will fight, but he has his sights set on a surging Dagestani.

Cejudo labeled Umar Nurmagomedov as the division's dark horse in a recent broadcast on his YouTube channel.

“Umar is the most dangerous guy,” Cejudo said. “At 135 pounds, out of all these cats that I see, Umar Nurmagomedov is the toughest challenge for any of them, including myself.

"He can wrestle, he can strike, he can box, he’s well-rounded. He’s seen his brother and his cousin win world titles and he wants to be next.”

Umar, Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin, is undefeated in professional MMA. He's progressed through the bantamweight ranks with recent victories over Nate Maness and Raoni Barcelos.

Nurmagomedov is reportedly awaiting his next UFC assignment after a fight against Merab Dvalishvili slid through the cracks.