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Henry Cejudo Withdraws from Freestyle Match Due to Injury; Event Card Altered

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Henry Cejudo Withdraws from Freestyle Wrestling Match Due to Injury

Henry Cejudo withdrew from a scheduled freestyle wrestling match on April 18, 2026, due to an injury sustained hours before the event. His withdrawal led to changes in the event's fight card, including a new main event. This follows a prior grappling event in Tempe, Arizona, where Cejudo faced Urijah Faber.

Event and Withdrawal Details

The freestyle wrestling match between Henry Cejudo and Merab Dvalishvili was scheduled as part of the Real American Freestyle 08 (RAF08) event. The event's promoter, Real American Freestyle, announced Cejudo's withdrawal on social media, citing an injury.

No details regarding the nature of the injury or potential rescheduling of the match have been provided.

Following the cancellation, the event's lineup was altered. The new main event is a match between Arman Tsarukyan and Urijah Faber. The co-main event is now a match between Kyle Snyder and Rizabek Aitmukhan.

The event is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM EST and will be broadcast on FOX Nation.

Background on Participants

  • Henry Cejudo: A retired mixed martial artist and former UFC two-division champion. He is also an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, having won at the 2008 Games. He retired from the UFC in December after a series of losses but has remained active in grappling.
  • Merab Dvalishvili: An active UFC fighter who defeated Cejudo in a bantamweight fight at UFC 323 in December 2025. He is reported to be awaiting a rematch against Petr Yan in the UFC.
  • Urijah Faber: A 46-year-old UFC veteran who retired from the promotion in 2019. He has participated in and won several grappling matches since his retirement. He was previously part of a grappling event with Cejudo at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Arizona.

Prior Grappling Event

A separate grappling event featuring Henry Cejudo and Urijah Faber took place on a Saturday night at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Arizona. Coverage of that event was provided by a live blog that focused on the top two matches.