Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (21-5-0) will face UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar (23-11-1) at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 09 in Arlington, Texas, on May 30, 2026.
The matchup comes after Dvalishvili’s debut against Henry Cejudo was canceled just hours before RAF 08 this month due to a Cejudo injury. Following a 2025 that saw him fight four world title bouts in a single year, “The Machine” is utilizing the RAF to stay sharp before a rumored UFC trilogy fight with Petr Yan. Merab lost his bantamweight belt to Yan in their UFC 323 rematch last December. Meanwhile, the former lightweight champion Edgar returns to competition for the first time since retiring from MMA in 2022.