Merab Dvalishvili Faces Henry Cejudo in Saturday RAF Georgia Main Event

Q: Is Dvalishvili's wrestling match a risky distraction or a brilliant strategy to pressure the UFC for his title fight?

It looks more like a calculated way to stay active than a deliberate pressure campaign on the UFC, though it carries real risk. Dvalishvili’s own explanation points that way. He has said he wants to “be busy,” views freestyle wrestling as close to a training session, and believes the UFC has already assured him of a rematch with Petr Yan once the champion is healthy. With Yan recovering from back surgery and the UFC calendar crowded through August, the delay appears driven more by scheduling and injury than by Dvalishvili needing leverage. There is also a practical upside. The RAF match against Henry Cejudo lets him compete without a harsh MMA weight cut, stay in shape, and remain visible while waiting. Facing a high-profile opponent in Georgia, where he has not performed since 2010, also keeps his name in the spotlight at a time when his title future is stalled. But the downside is obvious. Dvalishvili is already managing injuries, including a nose he says was broken twice, and wrestling still exposes him to fresh damage. He also admits the emotional pressure is intense because he is competing at home and against an Olympic gold medalist in a discipline where he sees himself as the underdog. That can drain focus from the bigger objective: reclaiming the UFC belt. So the match is best seen as a smart stay-busy move with unnecessary injury risk, not a masterstroke to force the UFC’s hand.

Q: With its champion injured and top contender wrestling, is the UFC's bantamweight division currently in a state of chaos?

Not quite, but the division is clearly stalled. The available reporting points to a temporary logjam rather than full-blown chaos. Petr Yan, the reigning bantamweight champion, is sidelined after back surgery, and his expected trilogy fight with former champion Merab Dvalishvili has been pushed back indefinitely. Dvalishvili has publicly complained about the lack of communication from the UFC, and with the promotion’s schedule largely booked through August, there is no clear date for the title picture to move. That uncertainty is compounded by Dvalishvili’s own detour into freestyle wrestling, where he is set to face Henry Cejudo in Georgia. But that does not necessarily signal disorder in the division. Dvalishvili says he remains ready to fight despite minor injuries, and his wrestling appearance looks more like a stay-busy opportunity than a sign he is leaving the title chase. What makes the situation look messy is the absence of a firm UFC plan while the champion recovers. The title is effectively on hold, the top contender is waiting, and no interim solution has been announced. Still, the division retains a clear hierarchy: Yan is champion, Dvalishvili is the leading challenger, and the expected next major fight remains their rematch once Yan is healthy. So the bantamweight division is not in chaos, but it is in a holding pattern marked by injury, scheduling delays, and uncertainty from the UFC.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · Jul 8

Saturday’s RAF card in Georgia will feature Dvalishvili against Olympic wrestling gold medalist Cejudo in the main event, giving the former UFC bantamweight champion his first competition at home since 2010.
The matchup comes as Dvalishvili waits for a 2026 UFC trilogy bout with Petr Yan, which has stalled after Yan’s injury and with no August booking in place.
Dvalishvili said the home appearance brings added pressure because he does not want to lose in front of Georgian fans, even though he beat Cejudo in MMA and enters this wrestling match as the underdog.
The 135-pound former champion said his recently broken nose has healed and plans to celebrate with Cejudo after the bout, win or lose, by hosting him with Georgian food and drinks.