Merab Dvalishvili sends message to Petr Yan, promises to make Henry Cejudo ‘get drunk’ in Georgia after RAF match

Merab Dvalishvili is eager to settle his rivalry with Petr Yan, but the UFC bantamweight champion's injury has delayed their anticipated trilogy into 2026. With the calendar already booked through August, Dvalishvili publicly appealed to Yan, saying "Petr, come back soon, bro. Let's fight. I want to fight. Let's go."

While waiting for the Yan matchup, the former champion has crossed into freestyle wrestling via RAF (Russia's wrestling promotion), winning his debut against UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar. On Saturday, Dvalishvili faces Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo in a wrestling match in his native Georgia—a rematch of their 2018 UFC encounter, which Dvalishvili won by unanimous decision before capturing the bantamweight title.

Dvalishvili acknowledges the pressure of competing at home for the first time since 2010, knowing a loss in front of his people would sting. He admits Cejudo is the favorite in freestyle wrestling, an environment far different from MMA's ruleset. "He's the best at wrestling. I have an advantage competing at my home in Georgia but it's his sport wrestling," Dvalishvili said.

Despite the competitive stakes, Dvalishvili has made clear his intentions extend beyond the match itself. He plans to celebrate with Cejudo afterward, promising Georgian hospitality and "lots of good Georgian food" regardless of the result. "I'm going to make Henry Cejudo get drunk in Georgia," he joked, emphasizing his respect for the former two-division UFC champion and fellow father. Dvalishvili also continues to recover from recent nagging injuries, including a broken nose suffered in both training and wrestling, which he downplays as having no impact on his near-term fighting plans.