Henry Cejudo gets his revenge, pins Merab Dvalishvili in just 36 seconds in RAF 12 main event

Henry Cejudo claimed crossover wrestling gold at RAF 12, pinning Merab Dvalishvili in just 36 seconds to avenge their earlier grappling encounter in Georgia. The 2008 Olympic gold medalist made a statement in the rematch, shooting immediately on Dvalishvili, securing a four-point takedown, then trapping his opponent on the mat before flipping him for the pinfall victory. In their first meeting, Cejudo had led 8–0 before Dvalishvili stormed back to win; this time, there was no comeback available.

"Merab is a machine," Cejudo said after the win, acknowledging his loss to the former UFC contender on the feet. Cejudo also called out Cody Garbrandt, signaling his readiness to defend the RAF title. Dvalishvili, for his part, remained open to a trilogy, saying "Absolutely. I love challenges. Henry Cejudo called me out and I said yes. He's an Olympic champion for a reason. He beat me today. Let's go for a trilogy in wrestling." Dvalishvili will next turn attention to his UFC 333 co-main event trilogy against Petr Yan in October. The rapid pinfall—secured in under a minute—underscored the gulf in elite-level wrestling pedigree and provided Cejudo a decisive full-circle moment after tasting defeat in the first bout.