RAF08 Main Event Cancelled Hours Before Fight

Injury forces Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili bout to be pulled from card

Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:05pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the abstract forms of two mixed martial artists engaged in an intense grappling match, their bodies and movements broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape.A cubist interpretation of the anticipated Cejudo-Dvalishvili main event, now cancelled due to injury, captures the explosive energy and competitive spirit of high-level MMA.Philadelphia Today

The main event fight between former UFC champions Henry Cejudo and Merab Dvalishvili at the upcoming RAF08 event in Philadelphia has been cancelled due to an injury to Cejudo. The promotion has quickly shifted the card, with Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber now serving as the new main event and Kyle Snyder vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan as the co-main.

Why it matters

This last-minute change to the RAF08 card is a significant blow, as the highly anticipated Cejudo-Dvalishvili rematch was expected to be the marquee fight of the event. The promotion will now have to rely on other notable matchups to draw interest, though the change does provide an opportunity for fighters like Tsarukyan and Snyder to step into the spotlight.

The details

Henry Cejudo, the former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion, was set to make his second appearance for the Real American Freestyle (RAF) promotion in a rematch against Merab Dvalishvili. The two had previously met in the UFC in 2024, with Dvalishvili winning by unanimous decision. However, just hours before the RAF08 event was set to begin, the promotion announced that Cejudo had suffered an injury and the main event fight was cancelled.

  • The RAF08 event was scheduled to take place on April 18, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Cejudo and Dvalishvili were originally set to headline the card in their rematch.
  • The announcement of the main event cancellation came just hours before the start of the RAF08 event.

The players

Henry Cejudo

A former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion who was set to headline the RAF08 event in a rematch against Merab Dvalishvili.

Merab Dvalishvili

A former UFC bantamweight title challenger who was scheduled to face Henry Cejudo in the main event of RAF08, a rematch of their previous 2024 UFC fight.

Real American Freestyle (RAF)

The promotion that was hosting the RAF08 event in Philadelphia, which was set to feature the Cejudo-Dvalishvili main event before it was cancelled.

Arman Tsarukyan

A fighter who will now headline the RAF08 card against Urijah Faber after the original main event was cancelled.

Urijah Faber

A veteran fighter who will now face Arman Tsarukyan in the new main event of RAF08 after the original headliner was pulled.

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What’s next

RAF has not provided any details on the nature of Cejudo's injury or a timeline for his potential return to the promotion. It remains to be seen if the Cejudo-Dvalishvili rematch can be rescheduled for a future RAF event.

The takeaway

The late cancellation of the highly anticipated Cejudo-Dvalishvili main event is a significant blow to the RAF08 card, but the promotion has quickly pivoted to feature other notable matchups like Tsarukyan-Faber and Snyder-Aitmukhan. This highlights the challenges of putting together major MMA events, where injuries can derail plans at the last minute.