Devon Larratt and Vitaly Laletin battle for next Levan shot

A July 18 conversation tied to Real American Freestyle Wrestling put Devon Larratt, Vitaly Laletin and Levan Saginashvili back at the center of the heavyweight title picture. The discussion mattered because the sport’s next serious shot at Levan still runs through the same two challengers, and every update on Devon or Vitaly changes the order of the queue.

Devon has the cleanest recent case. On April 18, 2026, he beat Vitaly Laletin 4-1 in the right-arm main event at East vs West 23, a result that sharpened his claim after months of Levan talk. The next day, Devon told James Sweetnam that he was still “chasing Levan Saginashvili” and wanted the matchup to happen. EVW Sports rankings placed Devon at No. 2 on the right hand in the superheavyweight division in April, which puts him directly behind the man he is trying to reach.

Vitaly still sits close enough to stay in the conversation. A April 21 YouTube video titled “DEVON & VITALY DISCUSS ABOUT WHO FACES LEVAN FIRST!!” included transcript language saying that “a few months ago it was decided that Vitaly Laletin was going to be Levan's next opponent,” before Levan’s bicep injury changed the path and turned attention toward Devon vs. Vitaly instead. East vs West also promoted Devon Larratt versus Vitaly Laletin as a left-arm world title match for February 28 in Vienna, another sign that the two remain tied to title-level stakes even when Levan is not in the bracket.

That is why the order matters so much. Devon’s win over Vitaly gives him the stronger present-day claim to the next Levan shot, while Vitaly’s earlier designation keeps him from falling out of the picture entirely. If Vitaly beats Devon in a future showdown, the original plan to send him toward Levan can come back quickly. If Devon keeps winning, his grip on the top challenger position tightens and Vitaly becomes the detour rather than the destination.

The larger frame has not changed. Devon and Levan already headlined East vs West 12 in Istanbul, Türkiye, on April 20, 2024, and a June clip tied to Joe Rogan showed Devon describing Levan as the one man he has never beaten. East vs West materials also say Levan Saginashvili and Devon Larratt are coming to EVW 25 in Georgia, which keeps the whole conversation pointed at the same endpoint: who earns the next credible shot at the champion who still defines the division.