# RAF Georgia
**RAF Georgia** was a professional freestyle wrestling event staged by [Real American Freestyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-american-freestyle) (RAF) on July 11, 2026 at Tbilisi Arena in Tbilisi, Georgia, headlined by the billed matchup between [Merab Dvalishvili](https://www.edgepedia.org/merab-dvalishvili) and [Henry Cejudo](https://www.edgepedia.org/henry-cejudo).[1](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/presale/raf-georgia) It was the promotion's first international event, taking the American league overseas for a card built around marquee matchups between Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev and between Dvalishvili and Cejudo.[2](https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/49_raf/snyder-and-sadulaev-to-meet-at-first-international-raf-event-r101050/) • [3](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | July 11, 2026, 12:00 PM start, Tbilisi Arena, Tbilisi, Georgia[1](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/presale/raf-georgia) |
| Significance | RAF's first international event[3](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia) |
| Headline result | Kyle Snyder pinned Abdulrashid Sadulaev with 1:35 left to retain the men's light heavyweight title[3](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia) |
| Other title matches | Kyle Dake retained the cruiserweight belt 2-0 over Vladimeri Gamkrelidze; Helen Maroulis also retained her championship belt[3](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia) |
| Notable bout | Arman Tsarukyan defeated Kuat Khamitov over three periods in his final match before facing Colby Covington at RAF11[4](https://www.mmafighting.com/raf-wrestling/498525/arman-tsarukyan-shuts-out-latest-opponent-at-raf-georgia-in-final-match-before-facing-colby-covington) |
| Rules | Three 2-minute periods with 30-second rest; 3-2-1 scoring (3 for a back-exposed takedown, 2 for a standard takedown, 1 for a step-out or push-out)[5](https://rafinsider.com/raf-wrestling-faq/) |
## Background
Real American Freestyle describes itself as the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, staging competitive matches under modified freestyle rules rather than scripted entertainment.[1](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/presale/raf-georgia) • [5](https://rafinsider.com/raf-wrestling-faq/) Its public-facing leadership includes [Eric Bischoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-bischoff), previously of WCW's television operations, and Chad Bronstein on the business and branding side, with a structured investor group behind the promotion.[6](https://legalclarity.org/who-owns-raf-wrestling-founders-and-investors/) Through its first year-plus of operation the league ran numbered events in United States cities including Cleveland, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Tampa, Miami, St. Louis, and [Milwaukee](https://www.edgepedia.org/milwaukee).[6](https://legalclarity.org/who-owns-raf-wrestling-founders-and-investors/) • [7](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/)
In June 2026 the promotion announced it was taking the platform overseas, bringing freestyle wrestling to Georgia's Tbilisi Arena on July 11.[2](https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/49_raf/snyder-and-sadulaev-to-meet-at-first-international-raf-event-r101050/) The card was framed around a Georgia-versus-world theme: cruiserweight champion [Kyle Dake](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyle-dake) defended his title against Georgian standout Vladimer Gamkrelidze in front of a passionate home crowd, and Olympic silver medalist Givi Matcharashvili met Missouri standout Zach Elam in a light heavyweight matchup with title implications.[8](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/blog)
## The Snyder–Sadulaev rivalry
The main draw for international audiences was the sixth meeting between Kyle Snyder, a five-time World and Olympic champion, and [Abdulrashid Sadulaev](https://www.edgepedia.org/abdulrashid-sadulaev), an eight-time World and Olympic champion, with the RAF Light Heavyweight Championship on the line. Every previous meeting between the two had featured gold at stake.[8](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/blog) The bout went back and forth at the start before Snyder converted a single-leg attack into a takedown and pin with 1:35 left in the match, retaining his title.[3](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia)
## Card and results
**Championship matches.** In the men's cruiserweight title match, Dake, a four-time World champion, earned a point in each of the opening two periods and edged the 2024 Olympian and World silver medalist Vladimeri Gamkrelidze by a narrow 2-0 score.[3](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia) [Helen Maroulis](https://www.edgepedia.org/helen-maroulis) also retained her championship belt on the same card.[3](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia)
**Undercard.** [Arman Tsarukyan](https://www.edgepedia.org/arman-tsarukyan), a top-ranked UFC lightweight who has been a mainstay of the promotion, faced the veteran MMA fighter Kuat Khamitov, who offered a challenge but could not keep up over three periods.[4](https://www.mmafighting.com/raf-wrestling/498525/arman-tsarukyan-shuts-out-latest-opponent-at-raf-georgia-in-final-match-before-facing-colby-covington) The card also matched World Champion Zain Retherford against World medalist Ernazar Akmataliev at lightweight, a first-time meeting between two of the sport's most dangerous lighter-weight wrestlers.[8](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/blog)
## Reception
RAF's own recap of the event, published July 14, 2026, described dramatic comebacks, championship performances, and an electric Georgian crowd that left the promotion with one clear message: "Please come back!"[8](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/blog) The event was followed a week later by RAF11 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2026, where [Colby Covington](https://www.edgepedia.org/colby-covington) captured gold.[7](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/) • [8](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/blog)
## References
1. [RAF Georgia – Early Access, Real American Freestyle](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/presale/raf-georgia)
2. [Snyder and Sadulaev to Meet at First International RAF Event, InterMat](https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/49_raf/snyder-and-sadulaev-to-meet-at-first-international-raf-event-r101050/)
3. [Snyder Pins Sadulaev, Dake and Maroulis also Retain Belts at RAF Georgia, USA Wrestling](https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/11/snyder-pins-sadulaev-dake-and-maroulis-also-retain-belts-at-raf-georgia)
4. [Arman Tsarukyan shuts out latest opponent at RAF Georgia, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/raf-wrestling/498525/arman-tsarukyan-shuts-out-latest-opponent-at-raf-georgia-in-final-match-before-facing-colby-covington)
5. [RAF Wrestling FAQ, RAF Insider](https://rafinsider.com/raf-wrestling-faq/)
6. [Who Owns RAF Wrestling: Founders and Investors, LegalClarity](https://legalclarity.org/who-owns-raf-wrestling-founders-and-investors/)
7. [RAF | Wrestling's New Main Stage, Real American Freestyle](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/)
8. [News, Real American Freestyle](https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/blog)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Amateur and collegiate wrestling*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license