Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo romped to a big win over UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber atop the RAF06 wrestling card on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona.
The headline match, contested at 160 pounds, played out as expected, even though Cejudo had to prepare in such a way that the Olympic wrestling champion did not dilute his speed as he settled into the heavier weight demands. Faber tried to slow things down from the start, but Cejudo pounced with precision and pace as he hunted Faber's heels in every round, succeeding more often than not with his low single-leg takedowns.
It proved to be the move of the entire match, with Faber having no answer for it. Faber managed to survive deep into the third round until Cejudo's winning margin became so substantial that he won via technical fall, 11-0.
RAF commentator and former UFC star Chael Sonnen said during the main event that Cejudo was signed to a three-match deal, and so he'll compete for the new wrestling organization throughout 2026.
Cejudo even called out his next opponent the very second he got on the mic.
"Merab!" Cejudo screamed at former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. "You are next!"
The fighters have history considering their UFC 298 bout two years ago, which Dvalishvili won by unanimous decision. Cejudo seemingly wants an opportunity to even the score in a gold-medal winning discipline of his.
On whether he accepts the challenge, Dvalishvili said: "Absolutely, yes."
Cejudo vs. Dvalishvili was subsequently confirmed to headline RAF08 on April 18 in Philadelphia.
Yet Cejudo's masterclass will likely be overshadowed by an incident that followed the co-main event.
There was no love lost between Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas, who even seemed to irritate one another with offers to bet $1,000 per takedown, or point, ahead of their match. They then seemed more interested in slapping one another rather than grappling once the action got underway — and the referee, as well as RAF executive Israel Martinez, had to repeatedly tell them to quit the nonsense.
Ben Askren suggested on the broadcast that Poullas was behaving that way because he didn't want Tsarukyan to embarrass him, and that he'd seemingly prefer to play for the disqualification instead.
Shortly after Tsarukyan scored a push out, and moments after the final bell, the UFC fighter landed a punch on his opponent's jaw, which sparked a melee with dozens of people storming the mat.
Fellow UFC veteran Colby Covington helped Poullas backstage.
Other results included Aljamain Sterling's technical fall victory over Benson Henderson, David Carr's dominance of Bubba Jenkins to defend the RAF welterweight championship, and wrestler-creator Keelon Jimison scoring a considerable win over Clay Guida in the opening match.
Check out full RAF06 results below.
Lightweight: Henry Cejudo def. Urijah Faber by technical fall in R3
Middleweight: Arman Tsarukyan def. Georgio Poullas by 5-3 | Brawl breaks out
Middleweight: Aljamain Sterling def. Benson Henderson by technical fall in R3
Welterweight championship: David Carr def. Bubba Jenkins by technical fall in R1
Featherweight: Andrew Alirez def. Bryce Meredith by technical fall in R2
Light heavyweight: Givi Matcharashvili def. Stephen Buchanan by 3-3
Women's strawweight: Lucia Yepez def. Everest Leydecker by 10-3
Middleweight: Tajmuraz Salkazanov def. Keegan O’Toole by 9-0
Middleweight: Evan Wick def. Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau
Cruiserweight: Zahid Valencia def. Mahmoud Fawzy by technical fall in R1
Featherweight: Jordan Oliver def. Beau Bartlett by 5-3
Welterweight: Keelon Jimison def. Clay Guida by technical fall in R2
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:31 PM PSTAlan Dawson"Merab!" Cejudo screams into the mic. "You are next!"Dvalishvili: "I love it. It's the best wrestling show I've ever been."On whether he accepts the challenge: "Absolutely, yes," Dvalishvili said.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:29 PM PSTAlan DawsonCejudo takes it to 9-0 in the third and is just one point from a technical fall through the 10-point margin ruling. And there it is! Cejudo with the win! What a performance! From Cejudo, and from Faber to hold on.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:26 PM PSTAlan DawsonAskren's analysis says Cejudo is still quick to the heel even at his age, and even at his weight. And, in truth, that's been the story of the entire match. Whether Faber has an answer to that in the third, remains to be seen.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:26 PM PSTAlan DawsonCejudo up 5-0 early in the second, as the crowd quietens. Cejudo AGAIN with the heel, and again with speed. It's a move that just keeps working. And Cejudo has him! His shoulders are down. Where's the call? Referee stands them up. Faber is back in the match but he's 7-0 down and yet to even score. OH! Power from Faber with a competitive drive to the mat, but the clock winds down and Cejudo preserves his 0. He refuses to get scored on.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:23 PM PSTAlan DawsonBecause we're heading straight into Cejudo vs Faber!The match is at catchweight of 160 pounds, which is huge compared to where Cejudo once competed. And Faber tries to use that to slow things down in the opening minute of the opening round. Cejudo, showing speed, hunts for the ankle. He gets him down and has Faber's back but Urijah's got interesting defense, and the referee gets them up. Cejudo back on the heel again! He's quick! Great low single attempt. It stays 3-0 though. Did the clock run out?
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:11 PM PSTAlan Dawson
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:11 PM PSTAlan DawsonCan you believe we've still got a main event to go? And it's an incredible one. Henry Cejudo, from nearby Phoenix, against Urijah Faber.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:08 PM PSTAlan DawsonArman Tsarukyan is also nowhere to be seen now. Man, what a scene.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:06 PM PSTAlan DawsonPoullas started the third in fast and frenetic fashion as if the theatrics between rounds were simply that! Was he playing possom?! Tsarukyan wants a takedown. Poullas goes back to hand grips and hand fighting. The crowd is bellowing USA! USA! USA! This match is hanging in the balance and Tsarukyan thunders Poullas out of bounds, with a takedown. Was it a pushout? It's 5-3 to Arman! Seems more like a pushout. Poullas so physical. 10 seconds left! Can Tsarukyan hold on?! Poullas now with the takedown but Arman stuffs it and now there's punches! All hell has broken loose! This is what the people wanted! They're whooping and hollering! This isn't supposed to happen! How can the main event top this?! And now the USA! USA! USA! chants are back! The crowd love the chaos!
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:01 PM PSTAlan DawsonBen Askren comments on the hand grips, saying Poullas is tired and trying to get additional time to recover. Tsarukyan is fine. Chilling. Well, except for when the match resumes. Then he is at risk of losing his cool.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:00 PM PSTAlan DawsonDespite the wild round, the crowd is on the edge of their seats, making their voices heard, simply because of how unpredictable this is. Accidental head-butt. Poullas relinquishes another point. Tsarukyan pushes Poullas out and that's a legit point, a rare one. 4-1 up now. This is such a physical contest. Arman with some afters, even after the round had finished.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:57 PM PSTAlan DawsonAskren says Poullas is "an average wrestler" from college and is concerned he'll get embarrassed, so would rather get Tsarukyan disqualified. Interesting.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:55 PM PSTAlan DawsonIs this RAF or are we in Stockton? Poullas and Tsarukyan are just straight-up slapping one another! What the hell?! The referee has a word. Tsarukyan has no chill BUT it was a reaction to getting slapped first. Come on, let's wrestle. No more slaps. Tsarukyan is a point ahead but he's losing his head. This is such a feral match. And … I kind of love it? Poullas with a shove, now. "This was an open hand push. THAT'S WRESTLING!" Chael Sonnen says.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:49 PM PSTAlan DawsonTsarukyan manhandled Lance Palmer in his last fight, is struggling to get the big fight he deserves in the UFC, but regardless is speed-running side-quests whether it's eating like a conqueror on social media, or tallying wins in RAF.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:45 PM PSTAlan DawsonIn the second round, Sterling increased his lead to 8-2. Aljo had all the answers even when Benson went back to single legs. Fluid movement throughout from Sterling. Benson, entering the third chasing the fight 2-8 down, goes low for a single shot. Sterling has Henderson down and it didn't look like his shoulders were down for long but the referee calls it — Sterling scores the technical fall in the third! This was a legends match! Two UFC veterans. Two guys who have competed across combat, and it's Sterling who not only gets the win, but the pin.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:40 PM PSTAlan DawsonAljamain Sterling, who walked to the mat with a backpack, looks in awesome shape, physically, as he goes after it, front head-lock, looking to take the back and he scores two in the opening minute over Benson Henderson. In the second minute, Henderson shoots for the ankle. Sterling has Benson's back, as if the backpack from earlier was a nod to what his opponent is going to feel. Sterling has a 4-2 advantage by the end of the first.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:29 PM PSTAlan Dawson"I've been calling everyone out … Kamaru Usman. I'm the champion, people should be calling me out."
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:27 PM PSTAlan DawsonBubba Jenkins steps out with just one foot, resetting the action. David Carr with exemplary wrestling cardio to combat Jenkins's fast start. It's 2-1. Carr then storms to an unanswered eight point haul, through a double leg takedown, and dominance on the mat. Carr then effortlessly closes the show, turn, tilt, and completes a clean backflip with plenty of air for good measure. Officially a technical fall, 13-2.
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:18 PM PSTAlan DawsonAnd now in walks the king! David Carr!
- Sat, February 28, 2026 at 8:14 PM PSTAlan DawsonReal American Freestyle looks ahead to its next event, in Tampa, after confirming weight classes transitioning to the traditional limits fans see at the Olympics. 190 and 215 are the two ones named. Then, anything above is unlimited.
Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:31 PM PST
"Merab!" Cejudo screams into the mic. "You are next!"
Dvalishvili: "I love it. It's the best wrestling show I've ever been."
On whether he accepts the challenge: "Absolutely, yes," Dvalishvili said.
Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:29 PM PST
Cejudo takes it to 9-0 in the third and is just one point from a technical fall through the 10-point margin ruling. And there it is! Cejudo with the win! What a performance! From Cejudo, and from Faber to hold on.
Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:26 PM PST
Askren's analysis says Cejudo is still quick to the heel even at his age, and even at his weight. And, in truth, that's been the story of the entire match. Whether Faber has an answer to that in the third, remains to be seen.
Cejudo up 5-0 early in the second, as the crowd quietens. Cejudo AGAIN with the heel, and again with speed. It's a move that just keeps working. And Cejudo has him! His shoulders are down. Where's the call? Referee stands them up. Faber is back in the match but he's 7-0 down and yet to even score. OH! Power from Faber with a competitive drive to the mat, but the clock winds down and Cejudo preserves his 0. He refuses to get scored on.
Sat, February 28, 2026 at 9:23 PM PST
Because we're heading straight into Cejudo vs Faber!
