Merab Dvalishvili and Frankie Edgar will face each other at RAF 09 in Dallas on May 30th. The announcement indicates this fight has been added to a card previously revealed to be headlined by Gable Steveson versus Alexander Romanov. The post expresses anticipation for what appears to be a compelling event. No additional details about whether this is a co-main event or undercard bout are provided. RAF appears to be promoting an interesting lineup for the Dallas show.
Merab Dvalishvili and Frankie Edgar have been booked to meet at RAF 09, set for Dallas on May 30, 2026, adding a high-profile bantamweight contest to a card already headlined by Gable Steveson versus Alexander Romanov.
Dvalishvili, known as "The Machine," enters the fight ranked first in the bantamweight division and second in the pound-for-pound standings. The 35-year-old Georgian, who trains out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team, carries a 21-5-0 record and is one of the most relentless grapplers in the sport. He averages 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 4.33 significant strikes per minute, making him a constant pressure fighter across all phases of a bout. He stands five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach.
Edgar, nicknamed "The Answer," is a 44-year-old American veteran who trains under Ricardo Almeida and holds a 23-11-1 record across his career. Sharing the same height and reach as Dvalishvili at five-foot-six and 68 inches, Edgar has always relied on his movement, durability, and wrestling to compete with elite opposition. He averages 3.77 significant strikes per minute and 2.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, and his 40 percent striking accuracy reflects a volume-based approach built over two decades of competition.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili is ranked first in bantamweight and second pound-for-pound, meaning his performance carries significant title picture implications
- Edgar, at 44, is one of the most experienced fighters in MMA history, and a strong showing would be a notable upset
- Both men share identical height and reach measurements, setting up a closely matched physical contest
- The bout joins a card already featuring Alexander Romanov, the 34-year-old Moldovan heavyweight who holds a 19-3-0 record and brings a finishing pedigree to his main event clash with Gable Steveson
