Olympic champ Cejudo returns, Carr defends belt at RAF 06
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Henry Cejudo celebrates his win over Uriah Faber at RAF 06.
TEMPE, Arizona – 2008 Olympic champion Henry Cejudo returned to the competition mats on Saturday evening at RAF06 and reminded the world of his wrestling prowess in a dominant main event win over MMA great Urijah Faber. Cejudo blanked Faber in an 11-0 technical fall win.
“I’m in it. You guys [Chad and Izzy] challenged me. I appreciate what you guys are doing. The events are absolutely amazing … I’m just blown away,” said Cejudo on his commitment to RAF.
2025 U.S. World Team member David Carr successfully defended his welterweight title with a convincing 13-2 technical fall over Bubba Jenkins, who was a U20 World champion in 2007 and an NCAA champion for Penn State in 2011.
Carr was fifth at last year’s World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. He has started the 2026 season with a pair of gold medal wins on the international circuit from the Henri Deglane Grand Prix and Zagreb Open Ranking Series.
Reigning 86 kg men’s freestyle World champion Zahid Valencia posted a 10-0 technical fall on 2016 Olympian Mahmoud Sebia in front of the Arizona State faithful. Valencia was a two-time NCAA champion for Arizona State. He earned a bronze medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series earlier in February.
2025 U20 World champion and top high school prospect Everest Leydecker dropped a tough 10-3 decision to 2024 Olympic silver medalist and two-time World medalist Lucia Guzman in the women’s strawweight division.
Match of the night honors went to the men’s unlimited showdown between 2024 Olympic silver medalist Givi Matcharashvili and Stephen Buchanan that ended in a 3-3 criteria win for the Georgian. Buchanan had been on a hot streak with 2026 gold medals from the Henri Deglane Grand Prix and Zagreb Open Ranking Series at 97 kg. He proved himself at that elite level once again in this match.
U.S. National Team member Evan Wick earned the performance of the night with a 13-2 technical fall over 2020 Olympic silver medalist Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau. Wick was Final X runner-up and Pan American champion last year. He recently picked up a bronze medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series.
Complete results from RAF 06 are available below.
RAF 07 is set for March 28 in Tampa, Florida, with tickets up for purchase on Ticketmaster. USA Wrestling notables on the RAF 07 card include Kyle Snyder, Kyle Dake, Kennedy Blades, Parker Keckeisen and Bo Bassett.
More information on RAF is available at realamericanfreestyle.com.
Men’s Lightweight – Henry Cejudo tech. fall Uriah Faber, 11-0
Men’s Middleweight – Arman Tsarukyan dec. Georgio Poullas, 5-2
Men’s Welterweight (Title Match) – David Carr tech. fall Bubba Jenkins, 13-2
Men’s Featherweight – Andrew Alirez tech. fall Bryce Meredith, 13-2
Men’s Unlimited – Givi Matcharashvili dec. Stephen Buchanan, 3-3
Women’s Strawweight– Lucia Guzman dec. Everest Leydecker, 10-3
Men’s Middleweight – Tajmuraz Salkazanov dec. Keegan O’Toole, 9-2
Men’s Middleweight – Evan Wick tech. fall Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau, 13-2
Men’s Cruiserweight – Zahid Valencia tech. fall Mahmoud Sebie, 10-0
Men’s Middleweight – Aljamain Sterling tech. fall Benson Henderson, 13-2
Men’s Featherweight – Jordan Oliver dec. Beau Bartlett, 5-3
Men’s Welterweight – Mugzy tech. fall Clay Guida, 13-2
