All articles tagged with #merab dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili erased an 8-0 deficit to rally past Olympic champion Henry Cejudo in the RAF Georgia main event, using a flurry of takedowns and a late four-point move to seize an 11-8 lead and seal the upset in his second freestyle bout since joining RAF.
In Tbilisi, Merab Dvalishvili defeated Henry Cejudo by unanimous decision in the RAF Georgia main event; the card also featured Kyle Snyder defending the RAF light heavyweight title against Abdulrashid Sadulaev and Arman Tsarukyan returning to face Kuat Khamitov, along with a slate of other wrestling bouts.
Merab Dvalishvili says a UFC trilogy with Petr Yan is still on hold for 2026 as he awaits booking news and recovers from nose injuries, while staying active in RAF with a Georgia-headlined fight against Henry Cejudo. He acknowledges being the underdog at home but plans to leverage the crowd, and even declares, “After our match, win or lose, I’m going to make Henry Cejudo get drunk in Georgia.” The bout adds pressure and anticipation to both the UFC plan for Yan and Dvalishvili’s return to his homeland for the RAF event.
Merab Dvalishvili says Ilia Topuria fought essentially blind after an eye poke and resulting damage in the UFC main event with Justin Gaethje; Topuria pushed hard but lost, vows to rebound and seek a rematch, with Dvalishvili confident he’ll reclaim the belt when healthy.
RAF 9 in Arlington, Texas, featured Gable Steveson’s impressive debut with a 10-0 technical fall over Alexandr Romanov; Colby Covington edged Chris Weidman 5-4 in a tight co-main; Kyle Snyder captured the light-heavyweight title with a 10-0 technical fall; Merab Dvalishvili defeated Frankie Edgar 12-1; additional winners included Real Woods, Parker Keckeisen, Jason Nolf, Zain Retherford, Ridge Lovett, Lucia Yepez, and Arman Tsarukyan (5-0 over Keelon Jimison), who earned a future matchup with Covington.
Ronda Rousey returned from retirement and submitted Gina Carano in 17 seconds at MVP MMA 1 on Netflix, leaving Merab Dvalishvili—who trained with Carano and had predicted a Carano upset—stunned by the ruthless performance; Dvalishvili, who hasn’t fought since losing to Petr Yan, is pursuing a Yan trilogy after back surgery and will wrestle Frankie Edgar at RAF 09 on May 30, with a potential Dvalishvili–Cejudo rematch unclear due to injury.
Henry Cejudo pulled out of RAF08 on fight day due to a personal injury, leaving Merab Dvalishvili waiting for his RAF debut. Cejudo said the injury is personal and won’t be disclosed, apologizing to Dvalishvili and thanking Real American Freestyle; RAF also announced the signing of Khamzat Chimaev, while noting Cejudo’s UFC retirement after a loss to Payton Talbott.
Henry Cejudo withdrew from RAF 8 due to an undisclosed injury, canceling his rematch with Merab Dvalishvili. Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber is promoted to the main event, while Kyle Snyder vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan moves to co-main. Dvalishvili won’t compete, and RAF 8 proceeds from Philadelphia’s Liacouras Center, streaming on FOX Nation, with the rest of the lineup remaining unchanged.
Henry Cejudo has withdrawn from his freestyle wrestling main event against Merab Dvalishvili at RAF08 due to an injury, canceling the bout. Dvalishvili remains set to pursue a UFC rematch with Petr Yan, while the card shifts headliners to Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber with Kyle Snyder vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan as the co-main. RAF08 airs at 8 p.m. EST on FOX Nation, and there are no disclosed details on the injury or any reschedule yet.
Merab Dvalishvili headlines RAF 8 in Philadelphia against former UFC champ Henry Cejudo, a rematch following Dvalishvili’s unanimous-decision win over Cejudo at UFC 298; co-main Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber, plus a full undercard, airs on FOX Nation at 8 p.m. ET.
Merab Dvalishvili claims Georgio Poullas started the RAF06 post‑fight melee with Arman Tsarukyan by being overly aggressive after Tsarukyan’s win; the brawl drew heavy attention as Tsarukyan’s return approaches, with him headlining Hype FC on March 11 and ongoing talk about his UFC title-shot prospects.
The article highlights the top fighters of 2025 in UFC, emphasizing Merab Dvalishvili's record-breaking year, Joshua Van's rise to flyweight champion, Islam Makhachev's dominance, Waldo Cortes Acosta's breakout, and Valentina Shevchenko's impressive title defenses, showcasing a year of remarkable performances and career milestones.
Umar Nurmagomedov emphasizes that his rivalry with Merab Dvalishvili is not personal and is confident about a future rematch, despite Dvalishvili's dismissive attitude. Nurmagomedov is preparing for his upcoming fight against Mario Bautista and hopes to stay active in the UFC, potentially fighting again early 2026 if both he and Dvalishvili win their next bouts.
Dana White initially doubted UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili due to his perceived foolishness, but after his impressive four-title defenses in a year and a 14-fight winning streak, White has become very supportive and proud of his accomplishments.
Dana White has warmed up to UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili, praising his mentality and impressive title defenses, including a quick turnaround for UFC 323, which could make him one of the most successful fighters in a single year. White's opinion shifted from skepticism to admiration as Dvalishvili aims to make history, highlighting his evolution as a fighter and champion.