RAF Georgia results: Merab Dvalishvili mounts unreal comeback, beats Henry Cejudo late to ignite raucous scene

Mixed martial arts royalty Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo combined on Saturday for one of the more spectacular and dramatic matches in Real American Freestyle history, when the two UFC veterans collided atop the RAF Georgia event that took place at the Tbilisi Sports Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia — the first RAF event outside the United States.

Cejudo, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, got off to a fast and hard start, exploding into a high gut-wrench and building a near insurmountable 8-0 lead to ensure he was just one takedown from finishing the match via technical fall.

Advertisement

But if there are two things Dvalishvili is known for, its an indomitable spirit and the relentlessness of his attacks, neither of which bode well for an opponent like Cejudo who showed signs of wilting in the second period.

Sure enough, with a rousing crowd on his side, Georgia’s Dvalishvili started to close the gap on the scoreboard with a single-leg takedown in the second period, another takedown in the third, and a shot clock advantage to sneak ahead by a 9-8 score before closing the show with a thrilling 11-8 win.

The match was the second athletic competition between Dvalishvili and Cejudo, who fought once before in the UFC two years ago — a fight Dvalishvili also won by decision.

Advertisement

Overall, RAF Georgia’s 12-match card featured some wildly decorated combat athletes across multiple disciplines. Kyle Snyder passed the toughest test of his RAF career, defeating two-time Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev by pinfall to defend his light heavyweight title. Kyle Dake also retained his cruiserweight belt by beating Vladimeri Gamkrelidze on points, and Helen Maroulis took out Anhelina Lysak by pinfall to retain the women’s bantamweight title.

One of the pound-for-pound best UFC fighters, Arman Tsarukyan, opened the show with an 11-0 technical fall masterclass over Kuat Khamitov, pushing his RAF record in 2026 to 7-0. Tsarukyan is already set to return to the RAF mats in just one week — at RAF 11 on July 18 — against Colby Covington in Milwaukee.

See all of the action with Uncrowned’s results, highlights and play-by-play below.

Advertisement

Match card

Lightweight: Merab Dvalishvili def. Henry Cejudo via points (11-8)

Light heavyweight championship: Kyle Snyder def. Abdulrashid Sadulaev via pinfall

Heavyweight.: Givi Matcharashvili def. Zach Elam via points (7-3)

Cruiserweight championship: Kyle Dake def. Vladimeri Gamkrelidze via points (2-0)

Heavyweight: Geno Petriashvili def. Jake Varner via tech fall (10-0)

Women’s bantamweight championship: Helen Maroulis def. Anhelina Lysak via pinfall

Featherweight: Vladimer Khinchegashvili def. Conor Beebe via tech fall (11-0)

Lightweight: Ernazar Akmataliev def. Zain Retherford via points (3-3)

Advertisement

Catchweight: Razambek Zhamalov def. Jarrett Jacques via points (3-2)

Women’s bantamweight: Anastasia Nichita def. Vinesh Phogat via points (7-6)

Featherweight: Brock Hardy def. Alibeg Alibegov via tech fall (12-2)

Middleweight: Arman Tsarukyan def. Kuat Khamitov via tech fall (11-0)

Live coverage is over45 updates

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 12:33 PM PDT

  Alan Dawson

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 12:16 PM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  “Thank you so much. I am so happy and I make my people proud. I was feeling fine, cool, no stress. But Henry’s Olympic champion, smart, and a wrestler.

  “I love UFC. I love fighting. I’m grateful for RAF.”

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 12:13 PM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  A shot off the whistle for Cejudo. Merab responds in kind but Henry with good hips. DVALISHVILI PUTS CEJUDO ON HIS BACK FOR FOUR! OH MY GOD!!! Merab just scored nine points in a row after being eight down! It’s now 9-8 to Dvalishvili. What a turnaround! There’s 50 seconds left on the clock. Can Cejudo get a takedown back to sneak ahead? NO! Dvalishvili gets another. It’s 11-8 and Merab now has a comfortable margin if he holds on. Down to 20 seconds. He’s got the win in UFC and is seconds away from winning in RAF, too. Merab finishes strong! WHAT A MATCH! Merab walks off like, are you not entertained?! And this crowd certainly is! Electric atmosphere!! He celebrates with the flag.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 12:08 PM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  They slap hands for the second period and there’s an inside trip already! Merab’s stance is high. Cejudo with a two on one. Merab fakes. And shoots! Cejudo might be tiring which could see Dvalishvili close the gap on the scoreboard. Henry is now put on the shot clock. Shot from Merab. And a single-leg! Huge opportunity for Merab — and he gets it! The crowd are on their feet! Cejudo was up 8-0 and Merab has brought it back to 8-5! WHAT A MATCH!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 12:04 PM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Merab stalking Cejudo with a two on one, and though Merab has his ankles, Cejudo is exploding into a high gut wrench, and takes him back the other way, too! This is a huge lead, already! 7-0! WOW! Merab baits Cejudo. Henry dives in a shot but Merab gets his hips low. Merab gets on the board LATE in the period! What an opening period!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 12:02 PM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Or will Dvalishvili repeat his 2024 win in MMA?!

  LETS FREAKING GO!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 12:00 PM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  The Machine walks to the mat. The reigning MMA Fighter of the Year. A Georgian fan favorite.

  MERAB

  DVALISHVILI!!!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:58 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:53 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Snyder drives through by lifting his opponent’s ankle. He has the pin! Sadulaev is in pain. He’s holding his knee! But it’s clean! Snyder gets the fall in his toughest RAF test, and retains the light heavyweight belt! Sadulaev is treated and helped off the mat! WOW!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:52 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Sadulaev looking explosive yet poised, defending his lead, albeit one that narrows to 4-3 after he was put on the shot clock and failed to score. Snyder with a chest wrap and a tight grip to close the second period. There’s been issues with the scoreboard all match but appears to now be 4-3.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:49 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  In a possible Olympic match in future years, Sadulaev and Snyder collide and, after an opening period flurry, from single to chest wrap, the challenger takes a 4-2 lead that confuses the commentary booth, suggesting, perhaps, 2-2 would have been fairer.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:37 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  With a gash on his head, Dake goes to 5-0 in RAF after a hard-fought, gritty, physical win, shutting out Gamkrelidze with great hips. He keeps the cruiserweight title in Georgia!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:32 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Kyle Dake almost gets a push-out point but Gamkrelidze’s awareness ensures he pivots away at the perfect point. The scoring remains low but the hand fighting and physicality is intense. There’s a blood time-out! Dake is bleeding! A LOT! From the chin because of a fake, to the side of the head. Dake’s entire skull is being wrapped.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:25 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  … the Kyle Dake vs Vladimeri Gamkrelidze match could explode at a moment’s notice.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:16 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  And it’s another tech fall RIGHT at the buzzer!!!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:13 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Khinchegashvili drops in below the leg on a single leg as he tries to extend a near-insurmountable lead, and even though Beebe is 7-0 down, its his defense that has kept him in the match — though this could be heading for a technical fall.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:11 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Beebe’s defense is in overdrive to keep the score limited to 2-0 after Khinchegashvili’s sustained offense, who adds another point after Beebe fails to score after being put on the shot clock. Khinchegashvili scores another two late in the period.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 11:02 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Akmataliev controlling the center and ties but vulnerable if Retherford got an offense going. More hand fighting. Akmataliev put on the clock. Retherford’s pressure is unrelenting and just as he fails to score on the shot clock, Akmataliev rolls him through! We’re at 3-3. And based off criteria off last point scored, the winner is Akmataliev! In his RAF debut!

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 10:55 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson

  Akmataliev has absurd grip strength to out-fox Retherford who posts on the head, hand fights, and goes through level changes, feints, and footwork, trying to get on the board. Akmataliev’s only point was the one he received for Ratherford being put on the shot clock, and failing to score.

• Sat, July 11, 2026 at 10:52 AM PDT

  Alan Dawson