Henry Cejudo tried to provoke Merab Dvalishvili by speaking Russian at the RAF08 press conference. Dvalishvili responded by reminding Cejudo that he is Georgian, not Russian. The exchange was brief and part of the pre-event promotion. RAF08 is a professional wrestling event scheduled for April 19, 2026. The details of their interaction were limited to this short exchange.
Henry Cejudo attempted to get under Merab Dvalishvili's skin at the RAF08 press conference on April 18, 2026, addressing the Georgian fighter in Russian in an apparent bid to provoke a reaction. Dvalishvili shut the moment down quickly, pointedly reminding Cejudo that he is Georgian, not Russian. The brief exchange was part of the pre-event promotion ahead of RAF08, a professional wrestling event scheduled for April 19, 2026.
Cejudo, nicknamed "Triple C," is a 39-year-old American fighter who holds a 16-6 record and currently sits ranked ninth in the UFC bantamweight division. Fighting out of Fight Ready, the former two-division champion carries a reach of 64 inches and lands 3.82 significant strikes per minute at a 47 percent accuracy rate.
Dvalishvili, known as "The Machine," enters the occasion as the number-one ranked bantamweight and the number-two ranked fighter pound-for-pound. The 35-year-old Georgian holds a 21-5 record and trains out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team. Standing five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach, he is one of the division's most relentless grapplers, averaging 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes and 4.33 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Cejudo is ranked ninth and Dvalishvili first in bantamweight, placing them on a potential collision course in a stacked division.
- The Russian language jab was a calculated cultural slight, and Dvalishvili's calm correction signals he is not easily rattled.
- Any animosity built through promotional exchanges like this one raises the profile of a potential future matchup between two technically contrasting fighters.
