Merab Dvalishvili’s debut in Real American Freestyle has been pushed back, although it wasn’t an unavoidable setback.
The ex-UFC bantamweight champion had planned to join a growing list of MMA names transitioning over to the new wrestling promotion.
He was originally supposed to headline in Philadelphia on April 18, but that changed when Henry Cejudo withdrew from RAF 08 just hours before the event. This shifted the main event spotlight to Arman Tsarukyan vs Urijah Faber.
Though Dvalishvili didn’t end up staying on the card, there were options that could have allowed him to still make his debut as planned.
Arman Tsarukyan offered to replace Cejudo against Dvalishvili at RAF 08
The former two-division UFC champion didn’t go into detail about his withdrawal, only saying it was for personal reasons. Dvalishvili missed the opportunity to earn a second win over Cejudo, having already beaten him in the Octagon at UFC 298.
Instead, he’ll make his debut against Frankie Edgar at RAF 09 on May 30 – a matchup that could have been his second if he’d taken up the offer to face Tsarukyan first.
The lightweight contender was reportedly open to fighting twice in one night just to keep Dvalishvili on the card in Philadelphia.
“After, they did offer me Arman Tsarukyan,” Dvalishvili said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “That matchup doesn’t make sense, especially Arman wanted to compete with me and Urijah. He was ready to do it (two matches in one night).
“Also, you know, he is two weight classes bigger than me. I was thinking about it, but thank god I did not (take the match) because what Arman did against Urijah Faber, the legend, I was disappointed.
“Arman should not throw him out like that,” he continued. “Urijah is a very good man and a very good fighter. I have even more respect for him how he handled this situation.
“I don’t like it, how Arman threw him out. That wasn’t necessary. And it should not have happened.”
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