Dvalishvili’s remarkable comeback
In a dramatic turn of events at the Tbilisi Sports Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia, Merab Dvalishvili secured an 11-8 victory over Henry Cejudo in the main event of RAF Georgia. This marked the first Real American Freestyle (RAF) event held outside the United States. Dvalishvili, known as “The Machine,” demonstrated his resilient spirit by overcoming an early 8-0 deficit against the 2008 Olympic gold medalist.
Cejudo initiated the match with a strong offensive, quickly establishing a significant lead. However, Dvalishvili, supported by a vocal home crowd, began to close the gap in the second period with a single-leg takedown. He continued his relentless attacks, securing another takedown in the third period and utilizing a shot clock advantage to take a 9-8 lead. Dvalishvili then added more points, culminating in the 11-8 win.
This encounter was the second athletic competition between Dvalishvili and Cejudo, who had previously faced each other in the UFC two years prior. Dvalishvili also emerged victorious in that earlier fight, winning by decision. With this recent win, Dvalishvili improved his RAF record to 2-0, having also defeated Frankie Edgar at RAF 09 in May. Cejudo’s RAF record now stands at 1-1, with a previous win against Urijah Faber at RAF 06 in February.
Championship bouts and other notable results
The RAF Georgia event featured a 12-match card showcasing decorated combat athletes across various disciplines. In the light heavyweight championship, Kyle Snyder successfully defended his title by defeating two-time Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev via pinfall. Snyder’s victory came after a challenging match where Sadulaev initially held a slender lead.
Another title defense saw Kyle Dake retain his cruiserweight belt. Dake secured a 2-0 victory on points against Vladimeri Gamkrelidze, despite sustaining a cut during the intense match. In the women’s bantamweight championship, Helen Maroulis retained her title by defeating Anhelina Lysak via pinfall.
The event also featured several other significant matches. Givi Matcharashvili defeated Zach Elam with a 7-3 score on points in a heavyweight bout. Geno Petriashvili secured a technical fall victory with a 10-0 score against Jake Varner in another heavyweight contest. Vladimer Khinchegashvili achieved a technical fall with an 11-0 score against Conor Beebe in the featherweight division.
Opening matches and upcoming events
The event commenced with a dominant performance by Arman Tsarukyan, who delivered an 11-0 technical fall masterclass against Kuat Khamitov in a middleweight bout. This win extended Tsarukyan’s RAF record in 2026 to 7-0. Tsarukyan is scheduled to return to the RAF mats in one week, on July 18, at RAF 11 in Milwaukee, where he will face Colby Covington.
Other matches on the card included Ernazar Akmataliev defeating Zain Retherford with a 3-3 score on points in a lightweight contest. Razambek Zhamalov secured a 3-2 victory on points against Jarrett Jacques in a catchweight bout. In the women’s bantamweight division, Anastasia Nichita defeated Vinesh Phogat with a 7-6 score on points. Additionally, Brock Hardy achieved a technical fall with a 12-2 score against Alibeg Alibegov in a featherweight match.
The main event’s dramatic conclusion saw Dvalishvili celebrate with the flag, acknowledging the electric atmosphere created by the Georgian crowd at the Tbilisi Sports Palace on Saturday.
Source: sports.yahoo.com