At the RAF 08 press conference, former UFC champion Henry Cejudo made another attempt to provoke bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili by speaking Russian. When Cejudo addressed him as "bratan" (Russian slang for brother), Dvalishvili responded by clarifying he is Georgian, not Russian. The exchange drew laughs from observers. The interaction represents ongoing verbal sparring between the two fighters, though no specific bout between them has been announced. Details about the context of their appearance at the RAF event are limited.
Former champion Henry Cejudo took another swing at bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili at the RAF 08 press conference on April 18, this time attempting to taunt him in Russian — only to be quickly corrected by the champion, who reminded Cejudo that he is Georgian, not Russian. The moment drew laughter from those in attendance.
Cejudo, 39, carries a 16-6 record and is currently ranked ninth in the bantamweight division. The Colorado-born wrestler fighting out of Fight Ready has long been known for his theatrical pre-fight antics alongside a decorated combat sports resume. Standing five-foot-four with a 64-inch reach, he lands 3.82 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy and averages 1.84 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Dvalishvili, nicknamed "The Machine," holds the UFC bantamweight title and sits at number one in the division while ranking second pound-for-pound. The 35-year-old Georgian, who trains with the Serra-Longo Fight Team, owns a 21-5 record and is one of the sport's most relentless wrestlers, averaging a remarkable 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes. He stands five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach and pushes a pace of 4.33 significant strikes per minute.
When Cejudo addressed Dvalishvili using the Russian slang term "bratan," meaning brother, the champion wasted no time setting the record straight on his nationality. The exchange was brief but landed as a punchline rather than a provocation.
Why it matters
- Cejudo, ranked ninth, is positioning himself as a contender in a division ruled by Dvalishvili
- The verbal sparring signals mutual awareness between the two fighters, though no bout has been formally announced
- A potential matchup would pit Cejudo's championship pedigree against Dvalishvili's historically high takedown volume and championship-level grappling
