Raf Wrestling: Henry Cejudo blanks Urijah Faber at RAF 6, calls out Merab Dvalishvili

Henry Cejudo shut out Urijah Faber in the RAF 06 main event at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Arizona, and immediately called out Merab Dvalishvili, setting up a headline fight for RAF 8 in Philadelphia; the return to raf wrestling underscored Cejudo’s quick takedowns and rapid re-entry into the promotion’s spotlight.

Raf Wrestling main event: Cejudo’s shutout and the Dvalishvili callout

Cejudo, the Olympic gold medalist and former two-division UFC champion who retired this past December after his fourth straight UFC loss, controlled the main event against UFC veteran Urijah Faber. Faber, 46 and seven years older than Cejudo, retired from the UFC in 2019 and has won several grappling matches since.

Cejudo used repeated ankle-pick and low-single takedowns to keep Faber on the mat and build an unassailable margin; accounts list the final margin as both 10-0 and 11-0 in different writeups, with the match ending technical fall in the final period. After the victory Cejudo shouted, “Merab Dvalishvili, you’re next!” and publicly challenged Dvalishvili.

Merab Dvalishvili walked onto the stage smiling and accepted the challenge: “I love it. I love the show, ” he said, and confirmed he was ready to face Cejudo. Cejudo has signed a three-match deal with the promotion and is officially booked to face Dvalishvili in the RAF 8 main event on April 18 in Philadelphia.

Co-main and other headline matchups at Mullet Arena

Arman Tsarukyan appeared in the co-main event; one account states he clashed with Georgio Poullas, while another names his opponent as Giorgio Poullas. Tsarukyan’s victory reportedly sparked a mass brawl after the match.

The card featured a stacked lineup of former MMA stars and decorated freestyle wrestlers. Notable results published from RAF 06 include Aljamain Sterling defeating Benson Henderson fall in the third period, David Carr defeating Bubba Jenkins technical fall (13-2) in the second period, and Givi Matcharashvili prevailing over Stephen Buchanan by criteria after a 3-3 score.

Full card roundup — multiple accounts

Event coverage provided two sets of results that overlap and conflict in places; both sets of details are included here.

• Henry Cejudo def. Urijah Faber (final margin appears as 10-0 in one account and 11-0 with a technical fall in another)
• Arman Tsarukyan def. Georgio/Giorgio Poullas (co-main)
• Aljamain Sterling def. Benson Henderson fall, 3rd period
• David Carr def. Bubba Jenkins tech fall (13-2), 2nd period
• Givi Matcharashvili def. Stephen Buchanan criteria (3-3)
• Lucia Guzman def. Everest Leydecker points (10-3)
• Tajmuraz Salkazanov def. Keegan O’Toole points (9-0)
• Evan Wick def. Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (one account lists 13-2, 3rd period; another lists 13-3)
• Zahid Valencia def. Mahmoud Fawzy Sebie tech fall (10-0), 1st period
• Jordan Oliver def. Beau Bartlett points (5-3)
• Keelon Jimison def. Clay Guida tech fall (13-3), 2nd period (one account); another account lists a result of Mugzy def. Clay Guida, 13-3
• Andrew Alirez def. Bryce Meredith tech fall (13-2), 2nd period
• Additional listings include an Andrew Alirez vs. Bryce Meredith tech fall and a Jami/Jami/Jami Guzman entry — one account lists Lucia Guzman defeating Everest Leydecker 10-3 while another lists Jami Guzman defeating Everest Leydecker 10-3 (name spelling differs in accounts).

Broadcast, timing and what’s next

RAF 06 took place on March 1 at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Arizona, with the official broadcast available on Fox Nation; the show was listed as starting at 9: 00 p. m. local time. The promotion has confirmed RAF 8 will be staged in Philadelphia, with Henry Cejudo booked to meet Merab Dvalishvili in the main event on April 18.

Other details from recent RAF events carried forward: David Carr previously blanked Belal Muhammad with a 10-0 technical fall at RAF 4, and RAF has announced that RAF 8 will feature the promotional debut of Merab Dvalishvili.

Organizers and participants provided multiple overlapping accounts of several match scores and opponent name spellings; where details differ between accounts, the variations are noted above. Recovery and promotional work for RAF 8 in Philadelphia are now the next confirmed milestones on the RAF schedule.