RAF Georgia on July 11 will feature two significant matchups: Sadulayev against Gordon Ryan's rival Bo Nickal-era standout Kyle Snyder, and Merab Dvalishvili taking on Henry Cejudo.
Bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili and former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo are set to collide at RAF Georgia on July 11, an event that will also feature a wrestling showdown between Abdulrashid Sadulayev and Kyle Snyder.
Dvalishvili enters the bout as the number-one ranked bantamweight and sits second on the pound-for-pound rankings. The 35-year-old Georgian, who trains out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team, carries a 21-5 record and has built his reputation on relentless pressure and elite wrestling. He averages 6.4 takedowns per 15 minutes — among the highest in the division — and pours on 4.33 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the most active and difficult fighters to manage in the 135-pound class.
Cejudo, known as "Triple C," brings a 16-6 record and ranks ninth at bantamweight. The 39-year-old American, who trains with Fight Ready, is a decorated combat sports veteran who blends sharp striking — landing at 47 percent accuracy and averaging 3.82 significant strikes per minute — with steady grappling, averaging 1.84 takedowns per 15 minutes. At five-foot-four with a 64-inch reach, he will face a notable size disadvantage against the longer Dvalishvili.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili is the top-ranked bantamweight contender, making any performance here a direct statement in the title picture
- Cejudo's nine-spot ranking gap means a win for "The Machine" further cements his divisional standing, while a Cejudo upset would dramatically reshape the 135-pound landscape
- The matchup pits Dvalishvili's volume wrestling against Cejudo's experience defending and countering elite-level pressure
