RAF 12
| RAF 12: Dvalishvili vs. Cejudo 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for RAF 12: Dvalishvili vs. Cejudo 2 | ||||
| Promotion | Real American Freestyle | |||
| Date | August 22, 2026 | |||
| Venue | Rocket Arena | |||
| City | Cleveland, Ohio | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
RAF 12: Dvalishvili vs. Cejudo 2 is an upcoming freestyle wrestling event produced by the Real American Freestyle (RAF) promotion that is scheduled to take place on August 22, 2026, at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.[1][2]
Background
[edit]This event will mark the first-year anniversary show of RAF, returning to the promotion's original host city of Cleveland, Ohio for the first time since RAF 01.[1]
A lightweight bout for the inaugural RAF Lightweight Crossover Championship with former UFC Bantawmeight Champion Merab Dvalishvili and former UFC Flyweight and fellow Bantamweight Champion (also 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling) Henry Cejudo is scheduled to headline the event.[3][4] They competed in freestyle wrestling for the first time at RAF Georgia in July 2026 where Dvalishvili won by decision.[5][6] They were originally scheduled to compete at RAF 08 in April 2026 but Cejudo withdrew hours before the event.[7] Their first bout was at UFC 298 in mixed martial arts in February 2024 where Dvalishvili won via unanimous decision.[8]
A catchweight bout between 2012 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling Jordan Burroughs and Sean Brady was scheduled to headline the event, but was shifted to the co-main event for undisclosed reasons.[9]
A RAF Crossover Cruiserweight Championship match between former current champion (also former interim UFC Welterweight Champion) Colby Covington and former UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad was scheduled for the event.[10] However, the bout was shifted to September at RAF 13 as the main event.[3]
Three additional championship bouts are scheduled to take place:
- A RAF Middleweight Championship bout for the vacant title between former champion Evan Wick and Jason Nolf. In their first two meetings in April 2021 and September 2021, Nolf won the matches by technical fall.[11] They later met at RAF 01 in August 2025 where Wick won the inaugural championship by decision.[12] The title was vacated in June 2026 when former champion Dean Hamiti was stripped for undisclosed reasons, paving the way for this bout.[13]
- A RAF Welterweight Championship bout between reigning champion David Carr and Tajmuraz Salkazanov. They competed three previous times with Salkazanov winning in February 2024 and February 2025, and Carr winning in July 2025.
- A RAF Women's Middleweight Championship bout between current champion Kennedy Blades and promotional newcomer Diana Avsaragova.
Fight card
[edit]| Main card | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Lightweight |  Merab Dvalishvili |
vs. |  Henry Cejudo |
[a] | |||
| Catchweight | Jordan Burroughs |
vs. | Sean Brady |
||||
| Light Heavyweight | Bo Nickal |
vs. | Max McEnelly |
||||
| Cruiserweight | Tyron Woodley |
vs. | Joaquin Buckley |
||||
| Middleweight | Evan Wick |
vs. | Jason Nolf |
[b] | |||
| Featherweight | Vladimer Khinchegashvili |
vs. | Jesse Mendez |
||||
| Welterweight | David Carr (c) |
vs. |  Tajmuraz Salkazanov |
[c] | |||
| Women's Middleweight | Kennedy Blades (c) |
vs. |  Diana Avsaragova |
[d] | |||
| Featherweight | Johnni DiJulius |
vs. |  Asu Almabayev |
||||
| Bantamweight |  Masanosuke Ono |
vs. | Ben Davino |
||||
| Middleweight |  Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau |
vs. | Will Lewan |
||||
| Heavyweight | Gable Steveson |
vs. | Anthony Cassioppi |
||||
- ↑ For the inaugural RAF Lightweight Crossover Championship.
- ↑ For the vacant RAF Middleweight Championship.
- ↑ For the RAF Welterweight Championship.
- ↑ For the RAF Women's Middleweight Championship.
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]
References
[edit]- 1 2 Jesse Holland (2026-03-19). "RAF 12 anniversary wrestling event announced for Aug. 22 in Cleveland". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Alexander Behunin (2026-07-22). "Gable Steveson added to super-stacked RAF 12 anniversary card". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- 1 2 Donagh Corby (2026-07-25). "Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo book trilogy bout in RAF Wrestling next month after thrilling rematch". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Matthew Wells (2026-07-25). "Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili rematch to headline RAF 12". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Simon Samano (2026-07-11). "RAF Georgia video: Merab Dvalishvili mounts big comeback to defeat Henry Cejudo". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2026-07-24.
- ↑ Bryan Tucker (2026-07-12). "RAF Georgia results: Dvalishvili vs. Cejudo". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2026-07-24.
- ↑ Harvey Leonard (2026-04-30). "RAF 08 shakeup: Merab Dvalishvili rejects offer as Arman Tsarukyan volunteers two bouts". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Dylan Napoleone (2024-02-17). "UFC 298: Merab Dvalishvili Ultimately Too Much for Ex-Champ Henry Cejudo". casesidepress.com. Retrieved 2026-07-24.
- ↑ Andrew Richardson (2026-07-04). "Burroughs Headlines RAF 12 Versus … Sean Brady?!?". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Alexander Behunin (2026-07-19). "Bad Blood! Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad added to RAF 12 on Aug. 22". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Penn State Athletics (2021-04-03). "Four NLWC athletes qualify for Tokyo Olympics as David Taylor becomes Penn State's newest Olympian". gopsusports.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Bryan Tucker (2025-08-30). "RAF 1 results: Hendrickson vs. Elders". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-06-23). "Evan Wick takes on Jason Nolf for the RAF Middleweight Championship August 22 in Cleveland at RAF12". instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-07-26). "RAF 12: Dvalishvili vs. Cejudo 2". realamericanfreestyle.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.