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Henry Cejudo eager for trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili after quick RAF 12 win: "I’ve just got to stay disciplined and dedicated”

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Henry Cejudo eager for trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili after quick RAF 12 win: "I’ve just got to stay disciplined and dedicated”
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Henry Cejudo finally got a measure of revenge on Merab Dvalishvili in the freestyle wrestling world, but he's already calling for a trilogy.

Cejudo entered the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland this past Saturday in hopes of a strong showing in a RAF 12 rematch with former UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili. In their first encounter outside of MMA rules, Cejudo had a sizable 8-0 lead over “The Machine,†but his gas tank wore out. This allowed Dvalishvili to mount a comeback and score the victory 11-8.

Things played out far differently in the rematch, as “Triple C†managed to have Dvalishvili pinned in just 36 seconds. It was a definitive win for Cejudo, but he may not be done with his rival just yet. During the RAF 12 post-fight press conference, Cejudo said he's counting on a third wrestling match with “The Machine†(via MMAFighting).

“I've been wrestling since I was a kid but that doesn't mean anything,†Cejudo said. “It's humbling but I'm excited for the trilogy.â€

Cejudo believes that the biggest difference between his rematch with Dvalishvili and their first RAF meeting boiled down to dedication.

“When I'm in shape, and I think Izzy [Martinez] said it, we were on the phone one time and [he said] ‘when Henry's in shape, no one will beat him… this kid is good,'†Cejudo said. “I took that to heart.

“I went out to Amsterdam, N.Y. in upstate New York, and I just dedicated myself for a whole month and a half. After getting beat up by Merab in Georgia. I've just got to stay disciplined and dedicated.â€

Cejudo is now 2-1 under the RAF banner. His other victory was against Urijah Faber in his promotional debut back in February. Whether RAF officials book the trilogy between Cejudo and Dvalishvili or they have something else in mind for “Triple C†will be a story to monitor.

Did you catch the RAF 12 rematch between Henry Cejudo and Merab Dvalishvili? Should there be a trilogy, or would you rather see fresh matchups for both men? Drop your two cents in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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Ian Machado Garry may never get another UFC title fight, says Dana White: "Don't waste 10 seconds telling this guy you f*cking love him"

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7 hours ago

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August 23, 2026

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Ian Machado Garry may never get another UFC title fight, says Dana White: "Don't waste 10 seconds telling this guy you f*cking love him"
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Ian Machado Garry squandered the final moments of his UFC 330 main event against Islam Makhachev as far as Dana White is concerned.

Garry challenged Makhachev for the UFC welterweight gold on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. Makhachev wasn't exactly on cruise control like most of his fights, but he wasn't pushed to his absolute limits either in his unanimous decision win. Although if you ask Garry, the pound-for-pound great was “pushed to the wire.â€

Garry did have his moments and even marked up Makhachev's face, but the champion dropped “The Future†in the second round with a head kick, and his grappling was the deciding factor for four of the five rounds in the eyes of two judges who scored it 49-46. There was one judge who gave Makhachev a 48-47 score total, but many agree it wasn't really a nail bitter.

White had been critical of Garry for being overly friendly with Makhachev in the closing moments of the fight, and he doubled down when speaking to reporters during the UFC Sacramento post-fight press conference.

“You get this opportunity, you've worked your whole life to get there, and you come out in the fifth round after you do all this great work, and you want to come out and start hugging him,†White said. “Shaking hands. Tell him how [expletive] great he is when they're putting the belt on ya. It's just he might never have that opportunity again, and probably will never get the opportunity at Islam again, who is gonna go down as one of the all-time greats, if not, the greatest by the time he's done.â€

If there's some advice White would give to Garry, it would be to find his killer instinct and ditch the kind and courteous approach until the final horn has sounded.

“You have five [expletive] minutes,†White said. “Every second of that round counts. Don't wait 10 seconds telling this guy you [expletive] love him.â€

Garry has insisted that his goal remains unchanged. He thinks his plan to have a “decade of dominance†will still come to fruition. Whether or not “The Future†can get back to title contention and eventually win UFC gold remains to be seen.

Do you agree with Dana White's assessment of Ian Machado Garry being overly friendly at UFC 330? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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Dana White addresses Namo Fazil allegedly being attacked before DWCS: ‘We handled it behind the scenes’

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12 hours ago

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August 23, 2026

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Dana White addresses Namo Fazil allegedly being attacked before DWCS: ‘We handled it behind the scenes’

Dana White knows something controversial went down at the Meta Apex involving Dana White Contender Series hopeful Namo Fazil. But he's not sharing the details.

This past week, Fazil made a shocking allegation that he was accosted by a group of Chechens—“There were 15 of them,†Fazil said—prior to his fight against Kaik Brito this past Tuesday. According to Fazil, his attackers interrupted his weight cut, “slapped†him, leading to a scuffle that had to caught the attention of the police. Former UFC champion Khamzat Chimaev, a native of Chechnya, appeared to address Fazil's allegations, writing the following on social media:

I just want to say that if something happens between two men, they need to sort things out between them self with out letting media make fitna between nations. We all are brothers. Chechens and Kurds we are Muslims and we should stay united. I'm not happy with the things that happened. I respect strong Kurdish people. When someone speaks bad then he should know there always will be consequences.

At the UFC Sacramento post-fight presser, White was asked about the story, and he gave a vague response.

“You guys have on idea how much shit goes on in this business behind the scenes and I said at the press conference that we had kind of a weird week here,†White said.

“I didn't even talk about it,†White said when asked if there would be any consequences for UFC fighter Baisangur Sursurkaev, who mocked Fazil after the incident and seemed to imply he was involved. “You guys wouldn't even know if he didn't talk about it.

“We handled it behind the scenes and that's the business we're in. Lots of crazy shit happens every day in this business.â€

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Anthony Smith releases first statement since July arrest for multiple felony charges

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14 hours ago

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August 23, 2026

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Anthony Smith releases first statement since July arrest for multiple felony charges

Ex-UFC title challenger Anthony Smith broke his silence for the first time since he was arrested in several felony charges in late July with a post on social media.

On Saturday, Smith took to Instagram celebrating that he was able to return home to his family after he was initially denied any contact with his wife because she was involved in the incident that led to his arrest. Smith was hit with a total of four felonies including an attempt of a class 1/1A/1B/1C/1D felony — a class 2 felony — terroristic threats and two charges of first degree false imprisonment, which are all class 3A felonies. Class 2 felonies are punishable with a minimum of one year in prison up to 50 years in prison. Class 3A felonies are punishable by a maximum of three years in prison and 18 months post-release supervision with no minimum punishment.

“Happy to be home with my household full of “whys,'†Smith wrote on Instagram. “I'll be able to tell my story someday soon. Until then…you guys just keep making it up as you go.

“Character is revealed in chaos.â€

Following his arrest, prosecutors in Sarpy County, Neb., released a statement regarding the allegations surrounding Smith after he was initially taken into custody.

“During today's bond hearing, a prosecutor from the Sarpy County Attorney's Office offered the following information: It is alleged that on July 26, 2026, the defendant was involved in an altercation with his wife at a bar in Gretna, Neb., during which he reportedly threatened to kill her if she did not get into his vehicle and go home with him,†the statement said. “He is further accused of grabbing and pushing her inside the vehicle.

“At one point, during the drive, she was able to exit the vehicle. The defendant allegedly continued making threats, demanding that she get back inside the vehicle. After arriving home, she again exited the vehicle. Investigators allege that the defendant attempted multiple times to use the vehicle to strike her. The defendant's wife was able to get out of the way and avoid any physical harm.â€

Smith's wife (who is featured in the photo alongside her husband), Mikhala Renee Newman, made a brief statement of her own on social media defending the former UFC fighter.

“I love Anthony with every ounce of my being,†she wrote. “He is a good man, a great dad, and an incredible husband who loves us endlessly. Anyone that knows him can attest to that. They made a mental health struggle into something it wasn't. I am safe and always was safe. He would never hurt me. Ever. I called for help to protect him from himself.â€

During his most recent hearing, Smith was also granted permission to leave the country and travel to the Dominican Republic for “purposes of participating in a professional sporting event†from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3. Following his brief retirement from the UFC, Smith returned to participate in the Gamebred FC bare-knuckle MMA heavyweight tournament with the winner earning a $500,000 grand prize and he scored a submission win over Chase Sherman in his debut.

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