Henry Cejudo Pins Merab in 36 Seconds

Henry Cejudo needed only 36 seconds to turn his RAF 12 rematch with Merab Dvalishvili into a statement. The Olympic gold medalist shot early, scored a four-point takedown and converted the scramble into a pin in Cleveland, leaving with the lightweight crossover title. The speed of the finish mattered because this was not presented as a tentative return to the matchup. Henry Cejudo removed the possibility of a prolonged scramble before Dvalishvili could establish the pressure and chaos described around his wrestling game.

The result gave Henry Cejudo a direct answer to their previous meeting in Georgia, where he had built an 8-0 lead before Dvalishvili rallied late. At RAF 12, his approach was notably simpler: take the early opening, score and settle the position. That sequence delivered a clean wrestling win rather than another extended contest shaped by late momentum. Henry Cejudo also left little doubt that he viewed the event as more than a rematch. He collected a belt outside the cage and used his post-match remarks to point toward another familiar name from the UFC bantamweight orbit.

Henry Cejudo made the rematch brief

Henry Cejudo did not allow the Cleveland rematch to develop into the kind of long hand-fighting battle that can create repeated scrambles. According to the reported sequence, he attacked immediately, landed the early four-point takedown and turned the ensuing exchange into the pin. The finish came in 36 seconds, making the technical outline of the win as important as the clock: early initiative produced the score, and control produced the finish. That is a meaningful contrast with the prior Georgia loss referenced around the matchup. Henry Cejudo had previously built an 8-0 advantage only to see Dvalishvili come back late. RAF 12 therefore supplied a different ending and a different rhythm. Instead of trying to manage a growing match, Henry Cejudo closed it before Dvalishvili could create the extended, high-energy exchanges associated with his style.

The lightweight crossover title was the tangible reward for that approach, but the rematch also offered Henry Cejudo a concise sporting response to the earlier defeat. He did not need a judges’ decision or a late sequence to separate the two performances; the pin itself settled the contest. The result does not establish anything beyond this wrestling meeting, yet it clearly changes the immediate conversation between the pair. Dvalishvili acknowledged the outcome after the match, saying Henry Cejudo beat him that day and describing him as an Olympic champion for a reason. He also said he would welcome a wrestling trilogy, meaning the source material leaves the rivalry open without confirming that another meeting has been arranged.

Henry Cejudo turns to Cody Garbrandt

After giving Dvalishvili credit, Henry Cejudo quickly shifted the focus to Cody Garbrandt. He said, “Merab is a machine,” then reflected on taking an “L” from Dvalishvili after 13 years of fighting on his feet. Henry Cejudo followed that with a direct challenge: “Cody Garbrandt, you’re next bitch.” The callout is the confirmed next piece of Henry Cejudo’s RAF 12 message, not a confirmed fight announcement. Garbrandt’s connection to Henry Cejudo comes from the UFC bantamweight orbit, while RAF has put MMA names into wrestling stakes rather than framing every appearance as a friendly exhibition. In that setting, the callout extends the same competitive tone Henry Cejudo brought to the rematch. He used a fast win, a crossover belt and a microphone moment to identify the opponent he wants addressed next. Dvalishvili’s response kept the first rivalry alive as well. He said, “Absolutely. I love challenges,” when asked about doing it again, before calling for a wrestling trilogy. For now, the confirmed outcome is narrow but emphatic: Henry Cejudo won the Cleveland rematch by pin in 36 seconds, while two separate post-match directions were voiced rather than finalized.

• Henry Cejudo opened with an immediate shot and scored the early four-point takedown.
• Henry Cejudo converted the scramble into a pin, won the lightweight crossover title and then called out Cody Garbrandt.

Henry Cejudo’s RAF 12 performance was efficient in every sense supplied by the result: 36 seconds, an early four-point takedown, a pin and the lightweight crossover title. More importantly for the rematch narrative, he avoided a repeat of the previous contest’s late reversal and secured a clear finish. Henry Cejudo then made sure the night did not end with the belt presentation, directing attention to Cody Garbrandt while Dvalishvili publicly left the door open to another wrestling meeting.

Sources: MiddleEasy