Dvalishvili Mounts Stunning Comeback to Defeat Cejudo in Georgia

Merab DvalishviliPlayer·Merab Dvalishvili delivered a memorable performance in his home country of Georgia, achieving a significant comeback victory over Olympic wrestling champion Henry CejudoPlayer·Henry Cejudo at the "Real American FreestyleCompetition·Real American Freestyle" (RAF) event. The highly anticipated main event saw Dvalishvili rally from a substantial early deficit to secure an 11-8 win.

The bout commenced with Henry CejudoPlayer·Henry Cejudo asserting early dominance. He quickly executed a takedown and followed with a series of turns, establishing an 8-0 lead in the opening minutes. It appeared Dvalishvili might not even reach the second period, facing a formidable challenge from the decorated Olympic gold medalist.

However, Dvalishvili, known for his relentless pace and aggression, steadily found his rhythm. He began to press forward, continuously attacking and gradually wearing down Cejudo. Through a series of successful takedowns and sustained offensive wrestling in the latter half of the match, Dvalishvili began to close the scoring gap. With just two minutes remaining, he executed a crucial four-point move, seizing the lead for the first time in the contest. Dvalishvili then added another takedown, extending his advantage to 11-8, a lead Cejudo was unable to overcome before the final signal.

This victory marks Dvalishvili's second win over an Olympic champion in the RAF, further solidifying his standing in the wrestling community. He had previously defeated Cejudo in the Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipCompetition·Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) octagon, making this wrestling encounter a highly anticipated rematch where Cejudo sought to avenge his prior loss.

Following his emotional triumph, Merab DvalishviliPlayer·Merab Dvalishvili expressed profound satisfaction.

"I am so happy. I made my people proud. Thank God I won tonight. Henry is an Olympic champion. Maybe next time we will meet in judo."— Merab Dvalishvili

Dvalishvili then turned his attention to future challenges, specifically addressing the UFC bantamweight champion, Petr YanPlayer·Petr Yan.

"I love UFC, I love to fight. Petr Yan, come back, brother. What's wrong with you?"— Merab Dvalishvili

With this victory, Dvalishvili now looks ahead to a potential trilogy fight against Petr YanPlayer·Petr Yan, hoping to arrange the long-awaited contest before the close of 2026, once Yan has recovered.