Overview
- The former UFC bantamweight champion said in Instagram videos Wednesday that a knee in sparring left his nose fractured in two places.
- A nose surgeon in Las Vegas told him a full fix would mean re-breaking bones and roughly a year of recovery.
- Dvalishvili said he will delay reconstruction and still wrestle Henry Cejudo at RAF 8, the Real American Freestyle event, on April 18 in Philadelphia.
- He reported trouble breathing through one nostril, which could undercut his pace-heavy style that depends on steady airflow for endurance.
- The injury introduces uncertainty for a potential trilogy with Petr Yan, who is recovering from back surgery with no confirmed return date.