Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo dueled once more in a wrestling match earlier tonight (Sat., July 11, 2026) at RAF Georgia LIVE on Fox Nation from Tbilisi, Georgia. Two years after their UFC battle, Dvalishvili remained unbeaten versus “Triple C” courtesy of a miraculous comeback win in front of a roaring home crowd.
The match began with an excellent display of technical wrestling from Cejudo. He was able to duck behind Dvalishvili for a quick score and then gut-wrenched “The Machine” twice to build
a commanding lead. Dvalishvili was in danger of a tech fall but managed to slow the motion and return to his feet.
Behind 8-0 late in the first, Dvalishvili was deep in the whole. He managed to get on the scoreboard with an arm drag at the bell, and from, “The Machine” built momentum. He scored another takedown late in the second, and his pace really began to wear on the 39-year-old Olympian. Dvalishvili nearly pinned Cejudo with a four-point throw in the third, and he scored another takedown before the final bell.
All told, Dvalishvili racked up 11 unanswered points after Cejudo’s initial barrage. Check out the video highlights below:
Is Henry Cejudo in his wrestling prime anymore? Of course not. Still, this is a remarkable accomplishment for Dvalishvili, who just beat an incredible wrestler and combat athlete at his own game. To do so while massively down on points and in his home country is the stuff of legend, another highlight in the incredible career of the former (and future?) UFC champion.
For more RAF Georgia results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
