Rematch! Kinda.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is officially set to make his Real American Freestyle (RAF) debut — and he’s not easing into it.
Dvalishvili will take on former UFC two-division champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo at RAF 08 on Sat., April 18, 2026, inside The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The matchup came together quickly.
Dvalishvili didn’t hesitate. He accepted on the spot, and the promotion wasted little time making it official.
For Dvalishvili, the bout serves as a high-profile detour while he awaits his expected trilogy clash with Petr Yan, which will probably go down later this summer. A competitive wrestling showcase against Cejudo should keep him sharp.
But make no mistake — RAF 08 just became must-watch.






