News

Merab doesn't rest: three weeks after losing the title he's back… against the man who nearly knocked him out in 2021

With his nose still unrepaired and fresh off five rounds against Petr Yan, Merab Dvalishvili faces Marlon Moraes in freestyle wrestling on November 14 in Abu Dhabi. The same night as UFC 334.

By Equipo La Jaula Props · November 4, 2026 · 1 min read

Photos: Onlyfans, CC BY 3.0 · Sambo1096, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons, cropped)

On October 24, Merab Dvalishvili lost the trilogy and his chance to regain the title against Petr Yan after five rounds. Three weeks later he already has a new match: on November 14 he faces Marlon Moraes in an RAF freestyle wrestling bout at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. It's the same night as UFC 334 in New York.

A rematch with history

They met at UFC 266 in September 2021. It was a thriller: Moraes hurt Merab badly early, but the Georgian recovered and finished him by second-round TKO. This time there'll be no strikes: just wrestling.

How they come in

Merab: coming off the loss to Yan at UFC 333. In RAF he won his first two matches, against Frankie Edgar and Henry Cejudo, but lost the rematch with Cejudo in August. It will be his fourth appearance in the league.
Moraes: a former WSOF champion and UFC title challenger, he retired from MMA in 2023 and returned in August with a unanimous decision win over Maximiliano Perez in São Paulo. It will be his RAF debut.

The other November 14 card

RAF Abu Dhabi, streaming on Fox Nation, competes directly with UFC 334 for fans' attention. Besides Merab vs. Moraes, the card features Khamzat Chimaev against Colby Covington, coming off a 43-second submission loss to Raul Rosas Jr., and Arman Tsarukyan against Neiman Gracie.

The La Jaula take

Merab needs to win something, even if it's on a wrestling mat

Losing the title, losing the trilogy and losing his last rematch with Cejudo in RAF: Merab has had a brutal few months. A wrestling match against an opponent he already beat is the quickest way to get his confidence back without risking his UFC spot. And in freestyle wrestling, his specialty, he's the clear favorite.

But there's a risk the card doesn't show: Merab is competing with an unrepaired broken nose and is fresh off five grueling rounds with Yan. Competing again three weeks later, even without strikes, leaves little room to recover.

And for the UFC, having Chimaev, Merab and Tsarukyan in Abu Dhabi on the night of its big Madison Square Garden event isn't good news.

Our verdict:Merab on points. The surprise would be Moraes keeping up with his pace for the whole match.

Frequently asked questions

When does Merab Dvalishvili compete again?

On November 14, 2026, against Marlon Moraes, in an RAF freestyle wrestling match at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Is Merab vs. Moraes an MMA fight?

No. It's a freestyle wrestling match in the RAF league, with no strikes.

Who won the first fight between Merab and Moraes?

Merab, by second-round TKO at UFC 266 (September 2021), after being in trouble early.

What else is on RAF Abu Dhabi?

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Colby Covington and Arman Tsarukyan vs. Neiman Gracie, among other matches.

Does it clash with UFC 334?

Yes. RAF Abu Dhabi takes place on the same day, November 14, as UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden.

Sources