LAS VEGAS, NV (October 15, 2026) – Real American Freestyle (RAF), the main stage for wrestling's elite, today announced a landmark agreement with AMC Theatres (NYSE:AMC), the largest theatrical exhibitor in the United States and in the world, that will bring the league's live events to the big screen for the first time. On Friday, October 23, fans across the country can experience RAF14 live from Fontainebleau Las Vegas at 40 AMC locations in major markets throughout the U.S., marking a major new chapter in the league's rapid expansion and creating an entirely new way for fans to experience RAF.

This theatrical debut brings together two major forces in sports and entertainment, transforming movie theatres into live event destinations where fans can experience the energy, intensity and excitement of RAF alongside their local wrestling communities with the goal of meeting fans where they are and giving them an elevated, in-person experience.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, October 15, with the initial rollout spanning 40 AMC locations across major markets including Chicago, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New York, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Tampa. The agreement represents another significant milestone for RAF as the fast-growing league continues to expand its national footprint and introduce professional freestyle wrestling to new audiences. The full list of locations can be found at the website here. 

“Wrestling belongs on the biggest stages, and working with AMC Theatres allows us to bring RAF to fans in a new way,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of RAF. “Going to the movies is something families have enjoyed together for generations. We want kids, parents and wrestling fans across the country to come together in their hometowns, cheer on their favorite athletes and experience the excitement of live wrestling on the big screen. It's another important step in growing the sport and inspiring the next generation of wrestling fans.”

“Movie theatres are at their best when they bring people together around events that create excitement and conversation, and live sports is a natural extension of that experience," said Ellen Copaken, SVP, Business Development, AMC Theatres. "RAF has built impressive momentum with wrestling fans, and this partnership gives those fans an exciting new way to experience the action. Watching alongside a crowd on a massive screen creates an energy that's very different from watching at home, and we're excited to introduce RAF to AMC audiences across the country.”

RAF 14 in Las Vegas on October 23 features one of the most stacked cards yet, providing an ideal pilot for the theatrical release. Global superstar and RAF familiar face, Arman Tsarukyan, will face off against former MMA and BJJ World Champion Dillon Danis. Joining them on the card are dominant champion Khamzat Chimaev against former UFC champion Robbie Lawler, as well as America’s most decorated wrestler ever Jordan Burroughs taking on rising star Mikey Caliendo. The full matchup, including multiple other Olympic and NCAA champions, can be found here.

The partnership follows the league’s breakout year and reflects RAF’s continued focus on finding the best ways for fans to experience events. By bringing live competition into movie theaters, RAF delivers a communal viewing environment that pairs the energy of live sports with the immersive experience of the big screen. FOX Nation is the exclusive broadcast partner for RAF. 

Additional details about participating theaters, event programming and ticket availability will be available through both the RAF and AMC website here.

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new main stage for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Izzy Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF brings Olympic champions, World medalists, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes together in a modern fight-night format built for today’s combat sports audience.

 Since launching in August 2025, RAF has quickly emerged as one of the fastest-growing properties in combat sports, generating billions of media impressions and more than 300 million social views per event. RAF combines elite competition, global storytelling, and high-level production to create matchups and moments that extend far beyond the mat.

 All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation. Beyond the professional league, RAF is building a broader wrestling ecosystem through athlete development initiatives, a national youth wrestling tournament series, and club acquisition under RAF NEXT GEN and RAF Clubs.

 For more information and updates, visit realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA.

ABOUT AMC ENTERTAINMENT HOLDINGS, INC.   

AMC is the largest theatrical exhibitor in the United States, the largest in Europe, and the largest throughout the world with approximately 870 theatres and 9,700 screens across the globe. AMC has propelled innovation in the exhibition industry by deploying its signature power-recliner seating, offering enhanced food and beverage choices, generating greater guest engagement through its AMC Stubs loyalty program, and introducing state-of-the-art premium presentation experiences including IMAX®, Dolby Cinema® at AMC and PRIME at AMC®. For more information, visit AMC Theatres.

On this episode of Over-Reaction Time, the guys tackle everything Real American Freestyle (RAF). What are they doing right? What do we think about the MMA fighters and influencer matchups? What have we learned in the year since its inception?

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, 21 September 2026 — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the main stage for wrestling’s elite, today announced a five-year partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the UAE Wrestling Federation to bring RAF events to Abu Dhabi.

The partnership begins on Saturday, November 14 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, with global combat sports superstar Khamzat Chimaev headlining RAF’s first event in the Middle East. Chimaev’s opponent will be announced in the coming weeks. Global wrestling and combat sports stars Arman Tsarukyan, Henry Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev are also set to compete, with their matchups to be announced.

Fans are encouraged to register their interest early for the November 14 event at VisitAbuDhabi.ae for the best chance to secure tickets.

RAF Abu Dhabi marks the league’s third international event in its first year, following its international debut in Tbilisi, Georgia and Moscow, Russia, hosting a sold-out event in September. The long-term agreement with DCT Abu Dhabi establishes Abu Dhabi as an important part of RAF’s expanding international calendar and represents a major step in the league’s strategy to build a truly global professional wrestling platform.

“From day one, our ambition has been to bring RAF to the world’s great sports markets, and there is no better place for this next chapter than Abu Dhabi,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of RAF. “Abu Dhabi is one of the premier destinations for combat sports, with the vision and infrastructure to deliver events that resonate globally. This five-year partnership gives us the opportunity to make RAF Abu Dhabi a signature event and build something meaningful for athletes, fans and the region for years to come.”

Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Secretary General of the UAE Wrestling Federation, said: “This five-year partnership marks an important step in the continued growth of wrestling in the UAE. Bringing world-class athletes and international events to Abu Dhabi will not only strengthen the country’s position on the global wrestling stage, but also inspire the next generation of athletes and support the long-term development of the sport. We look forward to working with Real American Freestyle and DCT Abu Dhabi to build a lasting platform for wrestling in the UAE and create meaningful opportunities for athletes and fans.” 

H.E. Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “Abu Dhabi has established a strong reputation as a global destination for major sporting events, and we are pleased to welcome Real American Freestyle as a new addition to our world class events calendar. This five-year partnership reflects our ambition to bring more high-profile sporting properties to the emirate while giving fans in Abu Dhabi and visitors from around the world the opportunity to experience elite combat sports in a world-class setting. We look forward to building on this partnership and making RAF Abu Dhabi a fixture on our sporting calendar.”      

Chimaev has quickly emerged as one of RAF’s biggest stars, bringing dominant performances and an enormous global following to the league. A naturalized UAE citizen who represents the country internationally, he will headline RAF’s Abu Dhabi debut in front of a home crowd.

The partnership comes as RAF enters its second year with significant momentum both at home and abroad, recently returning to Cleveland for RAF12 - its one-year anniversary and biggest event to date. In 12 months, the league has grown from its inaugural event in Cleveland into a year-round sports platform, staging sold-out events, building a global roster of Olympic champions, World champions and combat sports stars, launching RAF NEXT GEN and establishing an expanding international footprint. 

The expansion into the United Arab Emirates reflects RAF’s strategy of bringing premium professional wrestling events directly to markets with passionate combat sports audiences, deep wrestling cultures and world-class live event infrastructure. Through its partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi, RAF will have the opportunity to establish a recurring presence in a market that has become a global destination for major combat sports and live entertainment.

RAF Abu Dhabi’s main event will follow with a full card of Olympic champions, World champions, NCAA standouts and leading crossover athletes from wrestling and MMA. 

Additional matchups, venue information, tickets, event-week programming and broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks.     

It was a new night but a similar result for Real American Freestyle (RAF) as the organization held its first show on a Friday night - opposed to their typical Saturday night time slot. The organization’s RAF 13 card proved to be entertaining and featured a few new faces who notched impressive wins.

RAF newcomers Jacori Teemer and Chance Marsteller both debuted with wins over past world champions. In the lightweight class, Teemer squared off with Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan, a three-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist. Throughout the contest, Teemer’s quick reattacks and counter offense proved to be the difference in his 9-6 victory.

Marsteller took on the returning world champion at 79 kg, Georgios Kougioumtsidis. A big third period and a four-point takedown from Marsteller changed the complexion of the match and put him in the driver's seat late. He ended up with an impressive 8-6 victory.

The evening also featured a surprising title change as Arsen Harutyunyan downed Austin DeSanto, 6-3, to win the bantamweight championship. Harutyunyan took the lead after two tactical periods, 2-0. He was able to get to his offense more in the third period and cruised to a 6-3 victory.

While the final result kept the middleweight belt around Jason Nolf’s waist, his title defense against Julian Ramirez proved to be quite challenging and almost led to a shocking result. Wrestling in front of his home fans from Miami, Ramirez got a four-point takedown in the third period that brought Nolf’s lead down to 7-6. The former Penn State star was able to hold on and prevailed by that score.

Kennedy Blades continued her dominant run through the women’s middleweight class. Blades retained her title with a 12-0 tech over Russian MMA fighter Diana Avsaragova. Blades has won six RAF matches without surrendering a single point.

The talk surrounding RAF this week was the debut of their RAF Undiscovered show. It was a one-day production designed to find the next RAF star. Former Iowa wrestler Jeremiah Moody emerged as the winner and earned a spot on the RAF 13 card. The feel-good story didn’t last long as Moody tangled with 2026 NCAA third-place finisher Cesar Alvan. The Columbia grad posted four takedowns on his way to a win via fall.

In one of the more competitive matches of the evening, Mikey Caliendo suffered his first loss in RAF. Caliendo dropped a 5-4 match to Russian Timur Bizhoev, a 2021 world bronze medalist and 2026 European bronze winner.

The match that featured the most action and most scoring was former Wyoming two-time national runner-up Bryce Meredith, outlasting Russian MMA fighter Movlid Khaybulaev, 17-13.

This card also featured the first featherweight crossover championship match, which Cayden Henschel won via a 7-2 decision over Johnni DiJulius.

In the main event, former Oregon State All-American Colby Covington held onto his cruiserweight crossover belt with a relatively easy 10-0 tech over Belal Muhammad.

Final Results

Cruiserweight Crossover Title Match (190 lbs) - Colby Covington over Belal Muhammad  10-0

Crossover Catchweight - Khamzat Chimaev over Gilbert Burns  15-4

Women’s Middleweight Championship Match (150 lbs) - Kennedy Blades over Diana Avsaragova  12-0

Bantamweight Championship Match (135lbs) - Arsen Harutyunyan over Austin DeSanto  6-3

Welterweight Match (165 lbs) - Timur Bizhoev over Mikey Caliendo  5-4

Light Heavyweight Crossover Match (215 lbs) - Joe Pyfer over Luke Rockhold  14-3

Middleweight Championship Match (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf over Julian Ramirez  7-6

Cruiserweight Match (190 lbs) - Chance Marsteller over Georgios Kougioumtsids  8-6

Welterweight Match (165 lbs) - Bryce Meredith over Movlid Khaybulaev  17-13

Featherweight Crossover Championship Match (145 lbs) - Cayden Henschel over Johnni DiJulius  7-2

Lightweight Bout (155 lbs) - Jacori Teemer over Cesar Alvan  9-6

Middleweight Bout (185 lbs) - Cesar Alvan over Jeremiah Moody  Fall

Catchweight Bout - Mugzy Bulljunk over Real Tarzann  Fall

Real American Freestyle (RAF)’s RAF 13 card goes down tonight! This will be the organization’s first Friday night show, as their previous offerings have come on Saturday’s, so don’t forget to check it out on FoxNation. Tonight’s card features five championship bouts and serious star power. MMA stars Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad square off in the main event, while Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns renew acquaintances in the co-main event.

From a purely wrestling standpoint, title defenses from Kennedy Blades, Jason Nolf, and Austin DeSanto are some of the highlights from the card. We’ll also have RAF debuts from Julian Ramirez, Chance Marsteller, Jacori Teemer, and Cesar Alvan, among others.

Below, we’ve gone match-by-match to preview all of the action set to go down from Miami, Florida.

Cruiserweight Crossover Championship (190 lbs) - Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad

Former Oregon State All-American Colby Covington has proven to be one of the biggest crossover stars during the year-plus that RAF has been in existence. Covington, a former interim UFC champion, has a perfect 4-0 record in RAF and won the first crossover championship by defeating Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 11. At that show, Belal Muhammad earned a win over Ben Askren in his retirement match. After the match, Muhammad called out Covington and indicated that there’s no love lost between the two.

Crossover Catchweight - Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns

This is a rematch of the 2022 UFC fight between this pair that was deemed “Fight of the Night” at the time. Although Khamzat Chimaev won by unanimous decision, it was his first pro bout that went the distance and he sustained more damage in that bout than any previous one. Chimaev has won both of his previous RAF matches via fall. This will be the RAF debut for Gilbert Burns who was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner before moving into MMA.

Women’s Middleweight Championship (150 lbs) - Kennedy Blades vs. Diana Avsaragova

This will be the second time that RAF has attempted to put on this match. Kennedy Blades and Diana Avsaragova were slated to meet at RAF 12, but Avsaragova got sick the day before the event and Blades’ former Iowa teammate, Reese Larramendy, had to step in on short notice. Blades is now 5-0 in RAF and has yet to surrender a point and has won each bout via tech. Avsaragova came up as a wrestler in Russia before focusing on MMA. She last fought in PFL in 2025.

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs) - Austin DeSanto vs. Arsen Harutyunyan

For the wrestling purists, this might be the highlight of the card and the de facto main event. Austin DeSanto is a perfect 3-0 under the RAF banner and captured the bantamweight title with a dominant 11-1 victory over Nathan Tomasello at RAF 05 (also in Florida). In his first title defense, DeSanto got by Reineri Andreu Ortega, 2-1 in a bout that featured less action than you would typically expect. Arsen Harutyunyan is 2-0 in the organization with wins over Caleb Smith and Ben Davino. In both contests, Harutyunyan fell into an early hole and had to battle back to get the win. Harutyunyan might be best known for defeating DeSanto’s Iowa teammate, Spencer Lee, and Roman Bravo-Young en route to a bronze medal at the 2025 World Championships.

Welterweight (165 lbs) - Mikey Caliendo vs. Timur Bizhoev

Mikey Caliendo had a successful RAF debut on the RAF 11 card with a 9-2 win over Mirzo Khayitov. He’ll get a step up in competition this evening with 2021 world bronze medalist Timur Bizhoev. Earlier this year, Bizhoev earned a bronze medal at the European Championships, his second time medaling at that event, at the Senior level. Caliendo’s pace could be a deciding factor in the bout, something that has proven to be the case in RAF bouts against foreign competition.

Light Heavyweight Crossover (215 lbs) - Luke Rockhold vs. Joe Pyfer

The last time RAF came to South Florida, it was Luke Rockhold who headlined against Covington. In that match, Rockhold was beaten, 12-0. It was his only previous RAF appearance. He’ll square off with a current UFC star in Joe Pyfer, the #4 middleweight in their organization. He’s won 8 of 9 fights in the UFC.

Middleweight Championship (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf vs. Julian Ramirez

RAF has officially reinvigorated the wrestling career of Jason Nolf. The three-time NCAA champion for Penn State was focused on a career in grappling and running a kids club (which he still does); however, after a few RAF matches, he took training more seriously and has recently racked up some great wins. Nolf now has six RAF wins under his belt and has beaten Christopher Minto, Evan Wick, and Ismail Khaniev during his last three outings. Nolf will face hometown hero Julian Ramirez on Friday. Ramirez was a four-time NCAA Round of 12 finisher for Cornell and earned a top-five seed at nationals on three occasions.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Georgios Kougioumtsidis vs. Chance Marsteller

Chance Marsteller will make his RAF debut against 2025 world champion Georgios Kougioumtsidis. Marsteller was a 2023 world team member after winning a remarkable three-match series against the legendary Jordan Burroughs. Last year, Marsteller earned a gold medal at Albania’s Muhamet Malo Tournament. Kougioumtsidis earned his world title with a narrow 3-2 win over Levi Haines. He has competed in RAF once before, falling to Parker Keckeisen, 8-5, at RAF 09.

Welterweight (165 lbs) - Bryce Meredith vs. Movlid Khaybulaev

Two-time NCAA finalist Bryce Meredith is back in RAF. In his only previous RAF match, Meredith fell to Andrew Alirez by a 13-2 score. Just over a month ago, Meredith got back in the MMA cage and earned a win in PFL. He’ll face Movlid Khaybulaev, a Russian MMA fighter who also competes in PFL. Looking at Khaybulaev’s resume, he owns an MMA win over RAF wrestler/trainer Lance Palmer.

Featherweight Crossover Championship (145 lbs) - Johnni DiJulius vs. Cayden Henschel

This event will introduce the Featherweight Crossover Championship. Johnni DiJulius is back in action after a dominating win in front of his hometown crowd in Cleveland, Ohio. It was his second win in RAF. Cayden Henschel also has two wins in RAF, against two losses. Typically, in these sorts of matches, you have to favor the younger wrestler; however, DiJulius has been active and highly competitive, even in his loss to Olympic gold medalist Vladimer Khinchegashvili.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Haji Aliyev vs. Jacori Teemer

This should be a fun one! Three-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist, Haji Aliyev, takes on three-time All-American and national finalist Jacori Teemer. This will be the second RAF appearance for Aliyev. In his debut, Aliyev lost a compelling 9-5 matchup against Sebastian Rivera. He was able to showcase some elements that made him one of the best lightweights in the world. Teemer is making his debut, but has a good freestyle pedigree. He was a Cadet World bronze medalist back in 2017 at 63 kg. This is also a matchup of contrasting styles. Aliyev might be able to get a lot of action from the typically counter-attacking Teemer.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Cesar Alvan vs. Jeremiah Moody

Earlier this week, we saw that former Iowa wrestler Jeremiah Moody had won RAF’s Undiscovered show, which gave him a spot on this card. Moody never regularly cracked the starting lineup for the Hawkeyes, but did win a gold medal at the Junior Pan-American Championships in 2018. Since graduating from Iowa, he has been involved with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. His opponent is Cesar Alvan. Alvan just wrapped up his collegiate career earlier this year with a surprising run to the NCAA podium that saw him finish third in the nation at 165 lbs. That finished tied for the best in program history for Columbia. Alvan also competes internationally for Brazil and was a Pan-American U23 silver medalist in 2024.

Real American Freestyle’s RAF 14 card is starting to come together and it might be the best event the company has produced thus far. Last night, RAF announced two intriguing matchups to go along with an already-impressive card. 

The first of the two bouts announced is a featherweight title-eliminator contest between 2023 world champion Vito Arujau and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Sebastian Rivera. The two have some history if you look far back enough. They clashed twice at the 2019 NCAA Championships at 125 lbs, with Rivera prevailing in the quarterfinals and the third-place matchup.

Rivera earned NCAA All-American honors four times competing at Northwestern and Rutgers. His highest NCAA placement was third, which he accomplished on two occasions, and he was seeded #1 at his weight class twice. Rivera also captured Big Ten titles in 2019 and 2020.

Prior to earning an Olympic medal, Rivera was a world silver medalist in 2023 representing Puerto Rico.

Arujau won two NCAA titles at Cornell with NCAA finals wins over Roman Bravo-Young and Daton Fix. Like Rivera, Arujau earned NCAA All-American honors four times.

In addition to his world title, Arujau captured bronze at the 2024 World Championships and was a world silver medalist at both the Cadet and Junior levels.

This will be the second RAF appearance for both wrestlers. Rivera made his debut on the RAF 10 card and posted a 9-5 victory over three-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist Haji Aliyev. Arujau was on the recent Moscow card and used an impressive five-point suplay to dispose of Olympic champion Soslan Ramonov, 13-3.

The second bout added to this card is a heavyweight clash between Greg Kerkvliet and Yonger Bastida. Kerkvliet was a five-time All-American and 2024 NCAA champion for Penn State. He is also a two-time Cadet world finalist, winning a gold medal in 2017.

Bastida just wrapped up his collegiate career earlier this year at Iowa State. He was the undefeated top seed at 285 lbs at the 2026 NCAA Championships and ended up as a runner-up to NC State’s Isaac Trumble.

Although these two big men’s collegiate careers generally overlapped, they have not faced each other before. Bastida wrestled 197 lbs from 2021-2023 and the pair missed each other in 2024.

This will be the RAF debut for Kerkvliet. He was slated to wrestle heavyweight champion Wyatt Hendrickson on Saturday’s RAF 13 card, but that match was scrapped due to an injury.

Bastida also made his first RAF appearance on the RAF 10 show. He suffered a hard-fought 5-3 loss to world medalist Shamil Sharipov.

These two matches will be added to the October 23rd card that marks the organizations first venture to Las Vegas and the new Fontainebleau casino.

Middleweight Crossover Championship (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dillon Danis

Women’s Strawweight Championship (120 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman vs. Sarah Hildebrandt

Lightweight Championship (155 lbs) - Jordan Oliver vs. Ridge Lovett

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Alexander Shlemenko vs. Michael Page

Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Nathan Tomasello vs. Roman Bravo-Young

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Nick Suriano vs. Dylan Ragusin

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jordan Burroughs vs. Mikey Caliendo

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Vito Arujau vs. Sebastian Rivera

Heavyweight (UNL) - Yonger Bastida vs. Greg Kerkvliet

Tomorrow is the 14th card from Real American Freestyle and perhaps the most unusual, but high-profile card in the organization’s short history. As you might expect, RAF Moscow takes place in Russia’s capital, something that wrestling fans wouldn’t expect to see in 2026.

This card is absolutely loaded with talent and intriguing matchups. Some of the best ever to do it on the American side (Snyder/Burroughs/Dake), plus some of the top Russian talent. It’s an interesting sprinkling of talent from Russia, with a couple of different generations represented - A 2008 Olympic gold medalist and a 19-year-old future (current star).

Below is a match-by-match rundown of the event and what to expect from each bout.

Pay attention to social media as the streaming service for this event hasn’t been officially made publicly available yet.

Catchweight - Khamzat Chimaev vs. Tyron Woodley

The second time competing under the RAF umbrella should be significantly more difficult, compared to the first, for Khamzat Chimaev. In his debut, Chimaev pinned Dillon Danis in less than a minute at RAF 10 and chaos ensued after the fall was awarded. Tyron Woodley will also get a step up in competition. The former UFC champion and two-time All-American for Missouri made his first appearance at RAF 12 against Joaquin Buckley. Woodley started slowly, but turned it on late to win 14-8. As we saw at RAF Georgia, a partisan crowd will likely have Chimaev’s back and make things even more difficult for Woodley to navigate.

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Abdulrashid Sadulaev vs. Zac Braunagel

In the only other international RAF show, Abdulrashid Sadulaev squared off with longtime rival Kyle Snyder. Sadulaev appeared to be injured as he was pinned, but hopefully, that was worse than it appeared because he’ll be in action a month and a half later. Stepping up in the Rocky role in Rocky IV is Zac Braunagel, the multiple-time national qualifier from Illinois. Braunagel got his RAF career started on a positive note at RAF 11 with a 12-2 tech over Patrick Downey.

Heavyweight (UNL) - Anatoly Malykhin vs. Pouya Rahmani

There isn’t much information out there about either of the competitors in this match. Anatoly Malykhin was a bronze medalist at Russian Nationals in 2013 and doesn’t appear to have competed internationally since then. UWW’s records only have Rahmani with one international tournament under his belt, the International Ukrainian Tournament in 2017. Honestly, I’m not sure what to expect from either opponent.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Yusuf Raisov vs. Marif Piraev

This is a bout between a pair of Russian MMA fighters. I couldn’t find much in terms of wrestling background for either. I’m sure they have some level of experience with the sport.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia vs. Ibragim Kadiev

This might very well be the most competitive and anticipated matchup from a pure wrestling standpoint. Zahid Valencia is the reigning world champion at 86 kg and blew through the field to capture that title. Ibragim Kadiev was in his weight class; however, the two did not meet. Kadiev, at age 22, is a rising star and won his first European Senior title this year. Also in 2026, Kadiev defeated Kyle Dake at the Muhamet Malo Tournament. At the age group level, Kadiev won back-to-back U20 world titles in 2023-24. Valencia will be making his fifth appearance in RAF and sports a 3-1 record. In his most recent appearance, he held off Aeoden Sinclair, 8-2.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jordan Burroughs vs. Magomed Kurbanaliev

Just a couple of weeks after his RAF debut, Jordan Burroughs will take the mat once again. In his debut, Burroughs blew through MMA star Sean Brady in an 11-0 tech. Now, Burroughs’ opposition is a bit tougher with veteran Magomed Kurbanaliev. Kurbanaliev is a two-time world medalist for Russia and a one-time world champion. Of course, Kurbanaliev’s world title came in 2016 and he hasn’t competed since 2021, so his ability is a bit unknown at this time. With Burroughs’ status as an all-time great and past history versus Russians, this one probably gets the crowd loud and involved.

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Bo Nickal vs. Shirvani Muradov

Bo Nickal was one of the stars of the RAF 01 card and waited until RAF 12 to hit the mat for a second time. In his debut, Nickal pulled out a close win over Jacob Cardenas. Last month, he was on the opposite side of a close loss to 2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly. On Saturday, Nickal will face 2008 Olympic gold medalist Shirvani Muradov. Muradov is also a two-time Russian champion and a European Senior gold medalist. Muradov has the edge in accolades, but I’d assume Nickal would be favored in most other categories based on his age.

Catchweight - Jason Nolf vs. Ismail Khaniev

Along with Valencia/Kadiev, this is another banger! Ismail Khaniev is the next big thing for Russian wrestling. At 19 years old, he just won his second U20 world title. In 2025, Khaniev defeated Ladarion Lockett in the U20 quarterfinals - before capturing his first championship. At the 2026 tournament, Khaniev outscored the field by a 50-2 margin in five bouts. Jason Nolf has been reinvigorated in RAF and has been a frequent participant. In his last outing, Nolf teched Evan Wick to claim the vacant middleweight title. Wick defeated Nolf at RAF 01, but since then, Nolf has racked up five straight wins.

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Vito Arujau vs. Soslan Ramonov

Here we go! The RAF debut for two-time NCAA champion and 2023 world champion Vito Arujau. When healthy, Arujau is one of the most exciting and dangerous wrestlers in the world. His addition will be a great boost to the RAF featherweight division. Arujau will face Soslan Ramonov, a world and Olympic champion. Ramonov is also a two-time winner at Russian Nationals. This matchup has a different amount of significance to the local fanbase as Arujau’s father, Vugar, was a two-time world champion representing Russia and the Soviet Union.

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder vs. Akhmed Tazhudinov

Kyle Snyder versus Sadualev is the rivalry that generates the most hype, but having Captain American face Akhmed Tazhudinov isn’t too bad of a proposition either. Tazhudinov burst onto the world scene in 2023 and defeated both at the 2023 World Championships. A year later, he claimed an Olympic gold medal. These two renewed acquaintances at RAF 07 and Snyder prevailed on criteria. At the time, it appeared as if Tazhudinov wasn’t familiar with the ruleset and assumed he was winning. With their history and the close nature of the last match, a rematch is warranted. This will be Snyder’s fifth appearance in RAF - each has come against an opponent who was at least a world finalist.

Women’s Middleweight Championship (150 lbs) - Kennedy Blades vs. Vusala Parfianovich

The face of the RAF women’s division will be back in action in Moscow when Kennedy Blades laces them up on Saturday. Blades is a perfect 4-0 in RAF and has yet to surrender a point during any of her four tech fall victories. In her last appearance, she cruised to an 11-0 win over former Iowa teammate Reese Larramendy. Blades’ opponent on Saturday should provide her with her biggest test today, as Vusala Parfianovich was a 2021 U23 world silver medalist. In 2023, at the Senior World Championships, Parfianovich lost a one-point bout to American Emma Bruntil.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Sharaputdin Magomedov vs. Neiman Gracie

Russian Sharaputdin Magomedov is currently fighting in the middleweight division in the UFC and sports a 6-1 record within that organization. He’ll take on Neiman Gracie of the fabled Gracie family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fame. Gracie also has experience in MMA and has fought in Bellator and the PFL.

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake vs. Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov

This was initially supposed to be a matchup between Kyle Dake and Azerbaijan’s Arsenii Dzhioev; however, Dzhioev had to pull out and Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov was inserted in his place. Kadimagomedov famously defeated Dake at the 2020 Olympic Games, but Dake got the most recent win (10-7) in their bout at RAF 05. As we saw in that meeting, Dake has a size advantage, but Kadimagomedov is still a great competitor.

RAF 12 marked the one-year anniversary of Real American Freestyle and during that time the organization has produced 13 shows. Our tradition during this time has been to make the next matches for wrestlers after each card. That will carry on with the participants for RAF 12. Of course, some have already been booked for matches on future cards. If that’s the case, I’ll stick with those.

Henry Cejudo/Merab Dvalishvili - Round Three

These have been two of the most popular MMA members of RAF. Merab took round one in Georgia. Cejudo countered with a quick pin on Saturday. I’m sure that RAF would be interested in making this rivalry a trilogy.

Jordan Burroughs - Magomed Kurbanaliev

This is an easy one because it’s already booked for the RAF Moscow card on August 5th. Kurbanaliev has a great resume, but hasn’t been in action since 2021, so it will be a step up in competition for Burroughs, but not the same as a current world medalist.

Sean Brady - Michael Chandler

If Sean Brady is looking to compete again, how about someone who isn’t quite the caliber of the GOAT, Jordan Burroughs? Michael Chandler could be a similar-size matchup. He headlined the RAF 03 card and seemed very interested in competing further in RAF (he actually called out Burroughs).

Gable Steveson - Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur

I know everyone wants to see the Wyatt Hendrickson rematch. Believe me, I’d like to see it as well. I’m not sure if RAF is ready to go that way, plus Hendrickson has a match with Greg Kerkvliet booked for RAF 13. The two-time Mongolian world medalist Munkhtur is a very difficult matchup for most, but would be a good test for Steveson, who is still focused on MMA.

Tony Cassioppi - Taha Akgul

We’ve heard rumors of a potential international card in Turkiye. If that’s the case, you have to have the 11-time world/Olympic medalist and Olympic champion Taha Akgul on the card, right? Cassioppi hasn’t shied away from great competition in RAF, so he’d probably be up for it.

Kennedy Blades - Vusala Parfianovich

Kennedy Blades will also have a quick turnaround and compete on the Moscow card. She’ll square off with U23 world silver medalist Vusala Parfianovich. Parfianovich represented Russia at the non-Olympic World Championships in 2024.

Reese Larramendy - Alejandra Rivera

You have to give Reese Larramendy credit for stepping up to face her former collegiate teammate, Blades, on extremely short notice on Saturday. She should get rewarded with another match or two in the near future. Alejandra did the same on RAF 01 and defeated Holly Holm, before losing to Blades at RAF 03.

Max McEnelly - Khidir Saipudinov

Saipudinov appeared at RAF 07 and suffered a loss to Aeoden Sinclair, who also defeated Max McEnelly in the 2025-26 collegiate season (though McEnelly won a national title). Let’s let McEnelly get another win or two before pairing him up with one of the top cruiserweight contenders.

Bo Nickal - Kollin Moore

I saw Kollin Moore comment in jest about competing in RAF. How about he comes back for real and we get some of the old Penn State/Ohio State rivalry going?

Jason Nolf - Ismail Khaniev

This match is already set for RAF Moscow and it should be a great one. Ismail Khaniev is a young Russian superstar who just won his second U20 world title last week.

Evan Wick - Joey Blaze

Considering Wick and Jason Nolf have split matches in RAF, a third match might be an avenue that the organization would explore at some point, but I don’t think it’s now. I’d like to see Joey Blaze get another shot. He looked solid against Nolf in their match at RAF 08 and Nolf has established himself as the champion.

Jesse Mendez - Pat Lugo

Jesse Mendez looked good in his RAF debut. So far, featherweight hasn’t been an overly deep weight in the organization and other potential contenders have other commitments or may be injured (Andrew Alirez). Lugo saw action at RAF 05 and teched Johnni DiJulius, so how about another Buckeye?

Vladimer Khinchegashvili - Anthony Ashnault

Khinchegashvili has already appeared in RAF four times, winning two. Both losses have come to active wrestlers at the top of our domestic ladder. How about a compromise between that and his other opponents and a match with Anthony Ashnault? Ashnault gave champion Real Woods a heck of a match at RAF 08.

David Carr - Chermen Valiev

Salkazanov represented the biggest challenge for David Carr during his four RAF appearances. Let’s keep feeding him top competitors. Speaking of…the Albanian Chermen Valiev was a world silver medalist in 2025. In the quarterfinals, Valiev defeated Carr 7-5.

Tajmuraz Salkazanov - Mikey Caliendo

Caliendo impressed in his RAF and already has a match booked on the RAF 13 card. Should he get by Timur Bizhoev, Caliendo might be a match away from a title shot. What better way than to have a title eliminator matchup against Salkazanov?

Johnni DiJulius - Bryce Meredith

Aside from the main event competitors, the loudest crowd pop of the evening at RAF 12 belonged to Johnni DiJulius. His hometown crowd was very supportive and, in his post-match interview, Chael Sonnen mentioned how the organization has big plans for DiJulius. Let’s pair him with a prominent wrestler who is now in MMA, like Bryce Meredith, who was last in action at RAF 06.

Asu Almabayev - Cayden Henschel

We didn’t really get to see the wrestling skillset from Asu Almabayev, so I’m not sure what direction to go in for the UFC fighter. Perhaps Cayden Henschel, who has found a home with the organization and is 2-2.

Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov - Patrick Kennedy

Talk about a matchup of contrasting styles. Kadimagmedov is slick and kind of picks his spots to attack. Kennedy is your traditional Iowa-style guy, who is constantly moving forward and tries to physically wear down his opponents.

Will Lewan - Wait and see

Will Lewan was clearly injured during the first takedown from Kadimagomedov. He tried to give it a go, but his corner stopped the match after a period. Hopefully, it isn’t anything serious.

Tyron Woodley - Khamzat Chimaev

This match is set for the main event at RAF Moscow. I suppose the bout with Joaquin Buckley was to help ensure Woodley was in shape for the Chimaev match. He looked better as the match progressed, so we’ll see!

Joaquin Buckley - Jacobe Smith

Jacobe Smith is a rising star, undefeated in MMA, but his base is wrestling. Smith was an All-American for Oklahoma State. What if he returns to the mat for a throw-filled match with Joaquin Buckley.

Masanosuke Ono - Rei Higuchi

After his RAF debut, Masanosuke Ono called out his Japanese countryman and Olympic gold medalist Rei Higuchi. I think most wrestling fans' response to that would be, “yes, please.” I’ll go with that as well. Higuchi responded to a tweet regarding this potential match with the “big eyes” emoji. I assume that means Higuchi is interested as well.

Ben Davino - Matt Ramos

Ben Davino has had Senior World medalists in each of his first two RAF appearances. Obviously, he wants to face the best of the best. Matt Ramos hasn’t been in action since RAF 02, so let’s bring him back. This would be a matchup between a pair of Illinois natives.

RAF 12, the Anniversary show, takes place tonight in the city where the organization held its first event, Cleveland, Ohio. RAF 01 took place on the campus of Cleveland State University; this one moves to Rocket Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers and host site of the 2026 NCAA Championships. Since it’s a special show for the organization, they have loaded it with intriguing matches, including the debut of one perhaps the GOAT of American wrestling (no exaggeration either).

Below are the 12 matches set to take place tonight, along with what to expect from their competitors.

Lightweight (155 lbs) Crossover Championship Match - Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo

This is a rematch from a great bout between the pair on the RAF Georgia card. In that contest, Cejudo jumped out to an 8-0 lead, but Dvalishvili stormed back to win 12-8,  fueled by a partisan home crowd. With the crowd energy probably more evenly split in Cleveland, that energy might not be able to carry Dvalishvili this evening.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) Match: Jordan Burroughs vs. Sean Brady

It’s the long-awaited return to the mat for Jordan Burroughs. The seven-time world/Olympic champion has not competed since the 2024 Olympic Trials. Of course, Burroughs hasn’t been totally “away” from the mat as he’s immersed himself in his youth club. Burroughs will face UFC star Sean Brady. Brady’s best MMA skill set is his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Despite a size advantage over Burroughs and being five years younger than Burroughs, I’d expect Jordan to dominate this contest.

Heavyweight (UNL) Match: Gable Steveson vs. Tony Cassioppi

This will be the second RAF appearance for Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson. He cruised to a 10-0 tech over Aleksandr Romanov in his debut. Tony Cassioppi continues to get tested in the organization. His first two bouts were against an Olympic champion and a world bronze medalist. On the recent RAF 11 card, Cassioppi notched his first victory in a contentious match against Mostafa Elders. Throughout their collegiate careers, Steveson and Cassioppi clashed five times, with Gable winning all five - three via major decision.

Women’s Middleweight (150 lbs) Championship Match: Kennedy Blades vs. Diana Avsaragova

Kennedy Blades has clearly established herself as the face of the women’s division in RAF. She is 3-0 and has yet to surrender a point and all three bouts have ended in techs. Plus, there have been plenty of high-flying maneuvers involved. I’d expect that to continue tonight as she tangles with MMA fighter Diana Avsaragova. Avsaragova had plenty of wrestling credentials as a young woman in Russia before transitioning into MMA.

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) Match: Bo Nickal vs. Max McEnelly

Bo Nickal was one of the featured performers on the inaugural RAF card, earning a 6-4 victory over Jacob Cardenas. Since then, he’s been focused on MMA. Now he returns to the city where he won the second of his three NCAA titles and clinched a team title for Penn State. Were he focused solely on wrestling, Nickal might be a decisive favorite. Max McEnelly is a two-time age group world medalist, winning a U20 world title last year and a bronze medal at U17’s in 2022. He’s also fresh off an NCAA title at a brutal 184 lb weight class. This might be the best matchup of the night.

Middleweight (175 lbs) Championship Match: Evan Wick vs. Jason Nolf

This is a rematch of the RAF 01 card in which Evan Wick and Jason Nolf turned in a match of the night performance. It remains one of the two or three best matches to take place in RAF. Nolf appeared to be a bit rusty in that match, but has worked himself back towards top condition with recent wins over Joey Blaze and Christopher Minto. Wick takes offense to the notion that some may question Nolf’s condition in his win. Since then, Wick has shined over Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov, before losing his title to Dean Hamiti. Since Hamiti has been injured, he was stripped of his title and it will be presented to tonight’s winner.

Featherweight (145 lbs) Championship Match: Vladimer Khinchegashvili vs. Jesse Mendez

The two-time NCAA champion, Jesse Mendez, will make his RAF debut in his adopted home state of Ohio. Mendez earned All-American honors four times for Ohio State and captured a U20 world silver medal and two Big Ten titles while in Columbus. He’ll take on 2016 Olympic gold medalist Vladimer Khinchegashvili, who has become a regular in RAF. Khinchegashvili dropped his debut to young phenom Bo Bassett, but has won twice since. Since Mendez has a strong freestyle pedigree and is 12 years Khinchegashvili’s youth, I’d expect him to have the advantage.

Welterweight (165 lbs) Championship Match: David Carr vs. Tajmuraz Salkazanov

This will be David Carr’s first RAF appearance since falling in Final X to James Green. Carr will make his third title defense on Saturday night and it will be his biggest RAF test, by far. His last two wins have come via tech over Belal Muhammad and Bubba Jenkins. The four-time world medalist Salkazanov is a different story. Salkazanov’s two RAF wins have come over Green and Keegan O’Toole. Just last year, at the Zagreb Open, Salkazanov defeated Carr 4-0.

Featherweight (145 lbs) Match: Johnni DiJulius vs. Asu Almabayev

Johnni DiJulius is another Ohio State alum on the card and is eager to wrestle in front of a home crowd. DiJulius is 1-2 in RAF with a win over Connor Beebe and losses to Khinchegashvili and Pat Lugo. Even in the loss to Khinchegashvili, DiJulius acquitted himself well. Tonight, he’ll face Asu Almabayev, a top-five lightweight in the UFC from Kazakhstan. Almabayev does have a wrestling background and is similar in age to DiJulius, so this could be a toss-up with a slight edge to the former Buckeye wrestlers.

Middleweight (175 lbs) Match: Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov vs. Will Lewan

“Kadi” was a fixture on the first few RAF show and amassed a 1-2 record. Despite the result, Kadi has been able to bring the excitement has displayed some excellent techniques. His losses are to Wick and Kyle Dake (up a weight), so he’s definitely faced quality competition. Former Michigan two-time All-American Will Lewan will make his RAF debut. Lewan was a 2017 Cadet World Champion, so he has a great freestyle background. Lewan also tends to be more dynamic in freestyle, so this could be a fun matchup.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) Match: Tyron Woodley vs. Joaquin Buckley

With all of the current and former MMA stars dipping their toes into the RAF pond, it seemed like only a matter of time before the two-time All-American Tyron Woodley took the mat. Woodley, a Missouri teammate of Ben Askren, makes his debut on Saturday. While in the UFC, Woodley captured the organization’s welterweight championship. Woodley will take on fellow Missouri native Joaquin Buckley. Buckley is currently a top-ten welterweight in the UFC, most recently losing to Sean Brady. In his only previous RAF appearance, Buckley fell to Patrick Downey, 11-0

Bantamweight (135 lbs) Match: Masanosuke Ono vs. Ben Davino

Hopefully, this is the match order, as this one will have the crowd on their feet and set the tone for the remainder of the evening. In 2024, Masanosuke Ono won world titles at the U20 and Senior division and did so in an exciting fashion. Since then, Ono moved to America (more specifically State College, Pennsylvania) and enrolled at Penn State. Ono has been injured and learning folkstyle, so it’s been a while since he has been in action. He’ll likely play a big role on the Nittany Lion team in the upcoming season. After mentioning a couple of Ohio State alums, Ben Davino is a current star on the Buckeye squad. He was a national runner-up as a freshman and already has a RAF match under his belt. Although Davino fell to world medalist Arsen Harutunyan at RAF 11, he looked like he belonged against one of the best in the world.

We’re only a day away from RAF 12 - Real American Freestyle’s anniversary show. The organization has produced live events for a calendar year now. Tomorrow, we’ll have a preview of the action, but for now, let’s look back at some of the “bests” from a very productive and promising year worth of Real American Freestyle.

Best Wrestler: Kyle Snyder

There are quite a few candidates that could take this hypothetical award. Kyle Dake comes to mind and has a legit argument here, as well. Snyder gets the nod because of the absurd credentials of his competition - and the fact that he’s the undefeated light heavyweight champion. Each of Snyder’s four opponents has made the world finals on at least one occasion. Three are world champions. Two have Olympic gold medals and have beaten Snyder in the past. Try match this hit list: Akmed Tazhudinov, Rizabek Aitmukhan, Givi Matcharashvili, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Snyder gets his second year of RAF action started with a rematch against Tazhudinov at RAF Moscow.

Best Story: Ben Askren at RAF 11

This is probably the easiest decision to make out of any of these “best’s.” A year ago, Ben Askren was fighting for his life after a double lung transplant. He lost a significant amount of weight and had difficulty even standing up early in his recovery process. Fast forward to a year later and not only has Askren recovered, but he was strong enough to compete in a RAF match against Belal Muhammad. The result of the match wasn’t important, as Askren returning to the mat was a massive win in and of itself. After the match, an emotional Askren left his shoes on the mat and officially retired, in front of a home crowd on his birthday.

Best Match: Kyle Snyder vs Rizabek Aitmukhan at RAF 8

There are plenty of options here. When we did our recap of the first ten RAF cards, we chose Evan Wick over Jason Nolf at RAF 01 as the top match. That still could be the case at the year-end mark. We went with Snyder over Rizabek Aitmukhan because of the high-level opponent and the comeback aspect. Plus, that match probably featured the loudest crowd pop from any single RAF match, thus far. In this bout, Aitmukhan jumped out to a 6-0 and looked poised to grab the light heavyweight title. That obviously didn’t happen as Snyder was pushed by the crowd to notch takedown after takedown to win 12-6.

Best Crossover Match: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo at RAF Georgia

“Crossover” is the term that RAF has used to describe matches that generally feature MMA fighters or other athletes. From an actual wrestling standpoint, many of these matches leave a little something to be desired. That wasn’t necessarily the case in the recent main event of the RAF Georgia card that pitted Henry Cejudo against Merab Dvalishvili. Similar to the Snyder/Aitmukhan match, this contest featured a remarkable comeback, as well. Cejudo held an 8-0 lead over Dvalishvili; however, the Georgian was able to run down Cejudo with a rabid home crowd behind him.

Best Breakout Performer: Lucia Yepez Guzman

This isn’t because Lucia Yepez Guzman was totally unknown prior to RAF. She is a world and Olympic finalist and has a great pedigree. That being said, I am not sure how well known she was outside of the die-hard international fans. In her RAF debut, Yepez Guzman defeated future (current?) star Everest Leydecker. She’s added three more wins over high-quality opponents after the Leydecker victory - each more impressive than the last. Now, Yepez Guzman has a massive matchup slated for the RAF 14 card against 2024 Olympic champion Sarah Hildebrandt. If these two were to have met on an early RAF card, it would have been a legit match. However, with four RAF wins, Yepez Guzman has generated a new fanbase and there should be plenty of juice surrounding the matchup.

Best Re-Emergence: Jason Nolf/Aaron Pico

So Jason Nolf was thought to be retired when he took a match versus Eva Wick at RAF 01. Their match was a classic, but you could also tell that it wasn’t necessarily “prime” Nolf. RAF has appeared to reinvigorate Nolf, and he has posted very decisive wins over Joey Blaze and Christopher Minto in his most recent RAF appearances. On RAF’s anniversary show Saturday, Wick and Nolf will run it back, once again for the middleweight championship. Perhaps we see Nolf jump into the World Team Trials process in 2027?

Nolf’s four RAF wins in five appearances were more of an impact; however, you can’t overlook the impact that Aaron Pico could have going forward. Pico was an Olympic Trials finalist as a senior in high school, but bypassed collegiate wrestling for MMA. He is one of the biggest “what ifs” in recent wrestling history. Pico returned to the mat at RAF 10 and looked like he never left against Lance Palmer. Pico’s presence could lead to some excellent matches down the road - perhaps one against the wrestler he got the best of in high school, Zain Retherford. Or maybe an Olympic Trials rematch against Frank Molinaro? Lots of possibilities here.

Best Crowd: Milwaukee/RAF 11

For full transparency’s sake, I was not in the building for a majority of RAF cards, so this is based on what you could “feel” through the broadcast. Generally, it seems like the crowds have gotten larger and more engaged with each passing event. It might be hard to top the atmosphere in Georgia, when Merab Dvalishvili completed his comeback against Henry Cejudo, but I think the RAF 11 crowd in Milwaukee was into it from start to finish. Milwaukee wouldn’t necessarily come to mind first as a must-have destination for RAF; however, the combination of a lack of huge events in the area and a card loaded with in-state products proved to be a winning formula.

Best Feature: Fan Zone

Having good matchups and fun matches are ideal and help grow the organization, but in today’s sporting world, you need a little something extra to help get people outside of the comfort of their own home. I believe that the fan zone is a great bit of “something extra” for the kids. In the early afternoon, RAF makes the majority of the athletes competing on that respective card available for autograph’s, pictures, and the like. That access to the best athletes in the world is something that you can’t replicate at an NFL or NBA game. Getting to watch Kyle Dake or Helen Maroulis in person is great, but you’re cementing a child’s status as a fan for life by getting pictures and a brief interaction with Dake or Maroulis or dozens of other wrestlers.

Here’s our interview from last week with RAF Chief Media Officer Eric Bischoff.

With the one-year anniversary of Real American Freestyle looming, we sat down with Chief Media Officer Eric Bischoff to discuss some of the big picture results, decisions, and growth of the organization during it's first year of competition.

The hits keep on coming for Real American Freestyle (RAF) as they release matches for their upcoming card in Moscow on September 5th. Yesterday, we highlighted three bouts that had been announced within the prior 48 hours. Shortly after that article was published, another was added. Today, we’ve learned about a mega-match between two Olympic champions, Kyle Snyder and Akhmed Tazhudinov. Tazhudinov is a Russian who represents Bahrain on the international stage.

Both are veterans of multiple RAF cards and have a growing history together. Tazhudinov stormed onto the Senior level scene in 2023 and defeated Abdulrashid Sadulaev in the world semifinals (via injury default), after teching Snyder in the quarters. He would go on to win a world title at 97 kg as a 20-year-old. A year later, Tazhudinov pinned Givi Matcharashvili to win an Olympic gold medal. In the semifinals, he got by Snyder, 6-4.

Tazhudinov competed in the 2025 World Championships weight class won by Snyder, but the two didn’t meet. He ended up settling for bronze.

The pair met on the RAF 07 card and Snyder prevailed 3-3 on criteria. From his body language, it appeared as if Tazhudinov did not understand the differences in criteria between UWW rules and RAF.

Tazhudinov is 1-1 in RAF with the win coming via fall over Tony Cassioppi at RAF 03.

The 2016 Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion, Snyder, is also RAF’s light heavyweight champion. He is 4-0 in RAF competition and all four bouts have come against world finalists or better. During RAF’s first international event, Snyder downed Sadualev in Tbilisi, Georgia.

In June, Snyder met his 12th consecutive World/Olympic team at 97 kg and is seeking to add to his already-impressive international resume.

After yesterday’s RAF upset was published, a bout between Jason Nolf and Ismail Khaniev was announced. Khaniev was a U20 world champion last year at 74 kg. He defeated Ladarion Lockett 5-2 in the Round of 16 on the way to his gold medal. In 2026, Khaniev has won titles at the European U23 Championships and the Mongolia Open.

Nolf will be making his fifth RAF appearance. He is a perfect 4-0 and defeated 2026 NCAA runner-up Christopher Minto in his last time out - at RAF 09.

These two matches will be added to an already impressive RAF Moscow card that looks like this:

Catchweight - Khamzat Chimaev vs Tyron Woodley

Heavyweight (UNL) - Anatoly Malykhn (Russia) vs. Pouya Rahmani (Iran)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Yusuf Raisov (Russia) vs. Marif Piraev (Russia)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia vs. Ibragim Kadiev (Russia)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jordan Burroughs vs. Magomed Kurbanaliev (Russia)

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Bo Nickal vs. Shirvani Muradov (Russia)

We’re just over a month away from Real American Freestyle’s (RAF) first event from Russia, which will take place on September 5th. The event is starting to come together from a card standpoint, with the organization announcing three marquee matches in the last two days.

This event will mark the second appearance for six-time world champion and 2012 Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs. Burroughs is set to debut for the organization later this month against UFC fighter Sean Bradly. In Russia, Burroughs will face 2016 world champion Magomed Kurbanaliev. Kurbanaliev has also won titles at the World Military Championships, the European Championships, and the Ivan Yarygin Memorial.

2025 world champion Zahid Valencia has also been added to the card and will square off with rising star Ibrahim Kadiev. Kadiev is a two-time U20 world champion and defeated Josh Barr to capture the second of those titles in 2024. At the 2025 World Championships, Kadiev fell by a point to Iran’s Kamren Ghasempour in the quarterfinals. A round later, Valencia defeated the Iranian by a 7-0 score.

Earlier this year, Kadiev defeated Kyle Dake en route to winning a title at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event. After winning that tournament, Kadiev earned gold at the Senior European Championships for the first time.

This will be Valencia’s fifth match under the RAF banner. He was beaten by Parker Keckeisen in his first appearance, but is now on a three-match winning streak.

More star power is on the slate as Bo Nickal will face 2008 Olympic champion Shirvani Muradov. Also a Russian and European champion, Muradov captured gold in the 96 kg Olympic weight class where Daniel Cormier was unable to compete.

Nickal defeated Jacob Cardenas on the first RAF card, but hasn’t been in action since. Like Burroughs, Nickal is also slated to compete on August’s RAF 12 offering. He’ll take on 2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly on that card.

These three matches will be added to a card that includes:

Catchweight - Khamzat Chimaev vs Tyron Woodley

Heavyweight (UNL) - Anatoly Malykhn (Russia) vs. Pouya Rahmani (Iran)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Yusuf Raisov (Russia) vs. Marif Piraev (Russia)

Real American Freestyle (RAF) made a huge addition to its RAF 13 card on Monday as they announced a bout for the heavyweight title between champion Wyatt Hendrickson and Greg Kerkvliet. The pair won NCAA championships at 285 lbs in consecutive years, with Kerkvliet taking the title in 2024 and Hendrickson following in 2025.

Hendrickson is 3-0 in the organization with wins over Trent Hillger, Mason Parris, and Mostafa Elders. Kerkvliet will be making his RAF debut.

In addition to his RAF title, Hendrickson recently locked up his second consecutive Senior World Team berth after two straight wins over Parris. He’ll compete at the World Championships in late October. Hendrickson is seeking his first world medal at the Senior level after getting shut out in 2025.

Hendrickson does have success at the age group level with a U23 world title in 2023 and a fifth-place finish at the U20 World Championships in 2021.

Kerkvliet is no stranger to international success himself. He was a two-time Cadet World finalist and won in one of those appearances in 2017. In 2019, he was a match away from earning a medal at the U23 World Championships.

The big men have split their four previous appearances, with Hendrickson winning the two most recent bouts. He won via an 8-2 decision in the semifinals of the 2025 NCAA Championships and via a tech fall earlier this year at the US Open. Kerkvliet was victorious at the 2024 Olympic Trials and in the semis of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Kerkvliet was a five-time NCAA All-American for Penn State. He made three Big Ten finals appearances and two in the NCAA championship match. In 2024, Kerkvliet swept titles at both tournaments and finished the year with a perfect 20-0 record.

Kerkvliet made his return to the Senior level in 2026 after wrestling through an injury in 2024-25 and sitting out the second half of 2025.

Hendrickson earned All-American honors on two occasions with the Air Force Academy and once at Oklahoma State. During his lone year with the Cowboys, Hendrickson pulled one of the biggest upsets in college wrestling history when he stunned Gable Steveson in the NCAA finals, 5-4. After the NCAA season, Hendrickson was awarded the Hodge Trophy.

Steveson is on the RAF 12 card in August and could be a future opponent for the winner of this contest.

This is the third match officially announced on the RAF 13 card slated for Miami on September 19th.

The other bouts on this card are as follows:

Cruiserweight Crossover Championship (190 lbs) - Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad

Catchweight - Real Tarzan vs. Larry Wheels

The busiest week of Real American Freestyle (RAF) action has come and gone. Within seven days, the organization put together two excellent events on two continents. Now, we get to look ahead at what’s next. Or at least speculate and play matchmaker.

Playing matchmaker is what we like to do after RAF events and we’ve done that for the participants in RAF 11. Like last time, there are a few competitors from RAF 11 who already have matches booked for RAF 12, so we’re not going to mess with those plans.

Otherwise, here’s what we’ve “fantasy booked” for everyone else.

Colby Covington

This match has already been made. Covington will defend the Crossover championship against Belal Muhammad at the RAF 12 show, as a co-main event.

Arman Tsarukyan: Bubba Jenkins

Arman Tsarukyan’s RAF winning streak came to an end with his loss on Saturday to Colby Covington. Finding a logical next step for Tsarukyan was not easy. Perhaps a catchweight match with Bubba Jenkins? In his bout with David Carr, Jenkins showed he’s capable of flashing the talent that made him one of the most athletic wrestlers of his era - even against an opponent significantly younger than him. How about a larger one, but with less of an actual wrestling pedigree like Tsarukyan?

Belal Muhammad

See above ref: Colby Covington.

Ben Askren

Askren left his shoes in the middle of the mat signifying his retirement. Ben should enjoy his retirement, continue coaching at the club level and contribute to RAF behind-the-scenes.

Frankie Edgar: Lance Palmer

Here’s a couple of MMA fighters a couple of years removed from fighting, but as of now, back active on the wrestling scene. Palmer has the edge in age and wrestling credentials, but Edgar proved time and again during his UFC days that he should never be counted out.

Clay Guida: Eric Larkin

The loss to Frankie Edgar was Clay Guida’s third in RAF, but I see him coming back in the future. What about a random match with Eric Larkin? Larkin was the 2003 Hodge Trophy winner and one of the superstars of his era. He even had a brief MMA career. Now, his kids are taking over at the youth and collegiate level. Let’s have the kids corner dad this time!

Keegan O’Toole: Joey Blaze

How about another one of Jason Nolf’s former opponents - Joey Blaze? Blaze is coming off the loss to Nolf, but it was a fun match that was not as much of a blowout as the scoreboard might indicate. We’ve come to expect fireworks any time O’Toole takes the match, so this could be a lot of fun.

Christopher Minto: Magomedrasul Asluev (Bahrain)

RAF has already had a few wrestlers who represent Bahrain on its cards. How about another? Magomedrasul Asluev was an Asian silver medalist this year and recently dropped a match on criteria to Will Lewan at the Hungarian Ranking Series event. Asluev was a bronze medalist in Hungary in 2025 and at the Asian Championships that year, as well.

Adeline Gray: Final X loser/Tamyra Mensah-Stock

You would think that a Gray/Mensah-Stock match would be something that RAF would love to put together, but I don’t see that as the next step for Gray (provided TMS is interested). The 76 kg Final X series between Kylie Welker and Dymond Guilford was delayed due to an injury to Welker. How about the loser of that series takes on Gray?

Skylar Grote: Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan)

Grote has been on the national scene around 72 kg for awhile, so most of the domestic matches for her have already taken place at US Open’s or World Team Trials. Looking internationally, Zhamila Bakbergenova is highly decorated with four world medals. Her results lately have been a mixed bag - a title at the Muhamet Malo, but a handful of losses at other Rankings Series tournaments and a 10th place finish at the 2025 World Championships.

Arsen Harutyunyan: Rei Higuchi

This was supposed to be Arsen Harutyunyan’s debut match on the RAF 10 card, but Higuchi was pulled for Caleb Smith very late in the game. I can’t stop thinking about the potential Rei Higuchi match. Provided he’s healthy, let’s make it ASAP!

Ben Davino: Masanosuke Ono

Even before RAF 11 took place, we knew that Masanosuke Ono would be next for the NCAA runner-up from Ohio State. This match should be one of the best on the RAF 12 card.

Trent Hidlay: Ali Tcokaev (Azerbaijan)

Azerbaijan’s next guy at 92 kg is Ali Tcokaev. He was a U23 world bronze medalist in 2025 and an Asian U23 champion earlier this year. At the recent Hungarian Ranking Series event, Tcokaev came away with a gold medal in a solid weight class. Tcokaev still may not get the nod at Seniors this year because of the presence of Osman Nurmagomedov, so why not a bout with Hidlay in the near future?

Magomedkhan Magomedov: Dustin Plott

Speaking of Tcokaev, Dustin Plott drew the young Azeri star in the first round of the Hungarian event and lost by two points. Plott finished the tournament with a bronze after two impressive techs. He has already competed once in RAF, so let’s make it happen!

Magomed Ramazanov: Zahid Valencia

With Kyle Dake grabbing the 86 kg world team spot from Zahid Valencia, Valencia needs some matches in the interim. Let’s get the 2024 Olympic champion paired off with the most dominant wrestler from the 2025 World Championships!

Aeoden Sinclair: Dauren Kurugliev (Greece)

Young Aeoden Sinclair has shown no fear during his time with RAF. He’s taken on all comers and, even in losses, has proven that he belongs on the same mat with world and Olympic champions. A couple of months ago, RAF put out a press release with a bunch of recent signees, Dauren Kurugliev being one of them. He has not competed under the RAF banner as of yet. How about Sinclair versus the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist for a debut? Maybe on the Russian card since Kurugliev is a Russian competing for Greece?

Zac Braunagel: Jacob Cardenas

This isn’t a flashy matchup - it’s just two tough, physical dudes! There’s a little difference in body types, but each is a bruiser in their own right. There is a bit of history between the two as Jacob Cardenas defeated Braunagel by two points in the 2024 bloodround. I’m sure the Illinois grad hasn’t forgotten about that one.

Patrick Downey: Kollin Moore

We haven’t seen Kollin Moore on the scene for a couple of years, as he announced his retirement in mid-2024, but he’s spent a few years near the top of the domestic ladder. Moore has medals at the U20 and U23 levels, so he’s a stud at freestyle. Under the right circumstances, would he return for a match with the infamous Patrick Downey?

Tony Cassioppi: Yonger Bastida

Surprisingly enough, we never got to see Tony Cassioppi and Yonger Bastida clash during a Cy-Hawk dual! Cassioppi had two incredibly tough opponents in his first two RAF appearances, but got into the win column on Saturday. Bastida faced one of those opponents (Sharipov) and looked solid in his debut. Maybe these two on the next Midwestern card?

Mostafa Elders: Greg Kerkvliet

We saw Greg Kerkvliet return to Senior level competition in Turkiye and then the US Open and the World Team Trials. On occasion, RAF has used a debut match as a tune-up of sorts for a new star. This could be something of the sort for Kerkvliet.

Michael Caliendo: Soner Demirtas (Turkiye)

During the lead-up to RAF Georgia, we got a tease of a potential event or partnership in Turkey. With that in mind, how about a Turkish opponent for Mikey Caliendo? Soner Demirtas is a highly decorated and capable opponent; however, he is getting up there in age and is probably past being a consistent threat for a world medal. That being said, he was a bronze medalist in 2016 at the Olympic Games and a year later at the World Championships. It’s another step up for Caliendo.

Mirzo Khayitov: Cesar Alvan

Mirzo Khayitov made his RAF debut Saturday and fell to Caliendo, 9-2. We’re going to pair him with an opponent that American fans are familiar with, yet one that is competing for another country internationally. Cesar Alvan of Brazil. Alvan was one of the stars and feel-good stories from the 2026 NCAA Championships, taking third after coming in as the #12 seed. With his judo background, there’s always the potential for some highlight-reel moves.

Lucia Yepez Guzman: Cristelle Rodriguez

Pan-Am rematch! Cristelle Rodrigeuz will be our representative at the world championships at 53 kg and it’s her second straight world team appearance. Earlier this year, Rodriguez went to the Pan-American Championships and was teched by Lucia Yepez Guzman.

Felicity Taylor: Zeltzin Hernandez

The first women’s strawweight matchup took place on the RAF 01 card as Zeltzin Hernandez fell to Sarah Hildebrandt. She should probably get another shot, as losing to Hildebrandt is fairly common for lightweights around the world. I like this match more than Taylor against some of the foes she wrestled in college.

It’s been a busy week for Real American Freestyle (RAF). For the first time in their almost year of running shows, the organization held one overseas and will feature two shows within the same month. Last Saturday it was Tbilisi, Georgia, and this one it’ll be Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Judging by early ticket sales, the wrestlers on this card, and the fact that Wisconsin doesn’t have events like this, I think there will be a huge turnout for RAF 11.

After a change to the card last week, this event will not feature any title matches, but I’m not sure it matters. There’s still plenty of quality in terms of the matchups themselves.

Oh, and it also features an incredible comeback from one of Wisconsin’s favorite sons, Ben Askren.

Here are the matches that will go down on RAF 11 and some background information about its participants.

Catchweight - Colby Covington vs. Arman Tsarukyan

Two of the UFC fighters who have had the most success in RAF will clash as Colby Covington meets Arman Tsarukyan. Over the weekend, Tsarukyan ran his record to 7-0 in the organization with a tech fall victory over Kazakh MMA fighter Kuad Khamitov. Covington boasts wins over larger opponents like Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold. The winner might have a claim as the MMA face of RAF.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Ben Askren vs. Belal Muhammad

This match marks the incredible comeback of Ben Askren. Just over a year ago, he was close to death and needed a double lung transplant after being hospitalized with an illness. Now, Askren wants another match in front of his home fans. Initially, Askren was supposed to be a cornerstone of the RAF family and was slated to compete on the RAF 01 card. Now, he’ll get his chance against UFC fighter Belal Muhammad. Muhammad previously appeared on the RAF 04 show, against welterweight champion David Carr.

Catchweight - Frankie Edgar vs. Clay Guida

Somehow, these longtime UFC fighters never crossed paths in the octagon, but they’ll get the chance in Milwaukee. Both are looking for their first RAF win. Edgar is 0-1 after a loss to Merab Dvalishvili - that loss is looking much better after Merab’s win over Henry Cejudo last weekend. Guida has suffered losses to Cayden Henschel and Mugzy Bulljunk. I would think Edgar has the edge, but I’m not completely sure.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Keegan O’Toole vs. Christopher Minto

This has the potential to be an excellent matchup. Keegan O’Toole is an Askren Wrestling Academy product who will be competing in his home state. The last time we saw O’Toole on the raised mat, he came out on the right side of an awesome matchup with Bekzod Abdurakhmanov. In Christopher Minto’s only RAF appearance, he put up an admirable fight, but fell to Jason Nolf, 10-5.

Women’s Cruiserweight (160 lbs) - Adeline Gray vs. Skylar Grote

This will be the debut of the women’s cruiserweight division and the return of one of the GOAT’s of American women’s wrestling, Adeline Gray. Gray is a six-time world champion and 2020 Olympic silver medalist. She was last in action at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials, where she fell to Kennedy Blades in two straight matches. Skylar Grote has been near the top of the domestic ladder for much of the last five years. She has made an appearance in Final X and has been active domestically and internationally.

Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Arsen Harutunyan vs. Ben Davino

This was initially supposed to be a bantamweight championship match with Austin DeSanto and Ben Davino, but DeSanto had to withdraw with an injury. That’s ok, because in step’s world medalist Arsen Harutyunyan. Harutyunyan made his RAF debut on the RAF 10 show and got down early to Caleb Smith, before lighting up the scoreboard with 14 unanswered points. Davino is making his first RAF appearance. He was a national runner-up in 2026 as a true freshman for Ohio State and a 2023 U17 world team member.

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Trent Hidlay vs. Magomedkhan Magomedov

2026 world champion Trent Hidlay is back in RAF after securing his second straight world team berth. Hidlay has wins over Patrick Downey and Jacob Cardenas under the RAF umbrella, but the competition gets even tougher this time. He’ll take on world silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Magomedkhan Magomedov. Magomedov hadn’t been active in 2025, after the Olympic Games; however, he has appeared in one Ranking Series event in 2026, defeating American Jay Aiello.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Aeoden Sinclair vs. Magomed Ramazanov

It wouldn’t be a RAF event in Wisconsin if Aeoden Sinclair isn’t on the card, would it? Sinclair has expressed a desire to compete often and against top-notch competition. Since the NCAA Championships, Sinclair has wrestled at two RAF events, defeating world medalist Khidir Saipudinov and losing to world champion, Zahid Valencia. It doesn’t get any easier on Saturday as Sinclair takes on 2024 Olympic gold medalist Magomed Ramazanov. Ramazanov defeated American Aaron Brooks in the Olympic semis and then took out the legendary Iranian Hassan Yazdani for the gold medal.

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Patrick Downey vs. Zac Braunagel

This was initially supposed to be a bout on the RAF 10 card, but it was scrapped the week of the event. Now, it’s back on and features an early RAF regular, Patrick Downey, against a new face, Zac Braunagel. Downey has a 1-3 record in RAF, but has taken on a wide variety of opponents. This time he’ll square off with a hard-nosed bruiser from Illinois in Zac Braunagel. Braunagel has competed internationally in Greco more than freestyle, which is fine as Downey doesn’t shy away from upper body throws and the like.

Heavyweight (UNL) - Tony Cassioppi vs. Mostafa Elders

Wisconsin assistant coach Tony Cassioppi gets his third chance to pick up an RAF win. Cassioppi has run into a couple of buzzsaws in his first two RAF appearances. He faced World/Olympic champion Akhmed Tazhudinov and world medalist Shamil Sharipov. This time it’s a bit more manageable with Egyptian Olympic Mostafa Elders. Elders fell to Wyatt Hendrickson on the RAF 01 card, but did post a win over Steve Mocco a couple of months later.

Welterweight (165 lbs) - Mikey Caliendo vs. Mirzo Khayitov

It’s the long-awaited RAF debut for Mikey Caliendo. Before there were any actual RAF events, Caliendo was promoted as having signed with the organization. Now he’ll get to lace them up for the first time. Caliendo made the 165 lb NCAA finals in each of the last two seasons and should be a force on the freestyle scene. He’ll face Mirzo Khayitov, a NJCAA All-American, who competes internationally for Uzbekistan and has trained at Oklahoma State.

Women’s Strawweight Championship (120 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman vs. Felicity Taylor

Women’s strawweight champion Lucia Yepez Guzman has been RAF’s breakout women’s star and a frequent face on cards for the past few months. She has posted wins at RAF 09 and RAF 10 to bring her record with the organization to 3-0. Yepez Guzman has earned silver medals at the World Championships and Olympics in each of the last two years. Felicity Taylor is her opponent on Saturday and makes her first RAF appearance. Taylor was our world team representative in 2025 and was a U23 world team member on two occasions.

Real American Freestyle’s (RAF) first venture out of the United States proved to be a successful one on Saturday with the organization’s RAF Georgia card from Tbilisi, Georgia. The card had to be one of, if not the most, star-studden standalone events in modern wrestling history as 8 Olympic gold medalists took part in the competition. Two matches featured Olympic champions squaring off.

Oh, and one of the best rivalries in recent memory was renewed as Kyle Snyder defeated his light heavyweight belt against fellow Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Sadualev held a 4-3 lead early in the third period when Snyder got in on a low single and was close to converting the takedown. At that moment, Sadulaev winced in pain and rolled onto his back for a fall. This brings their career series to three matches to two, in favor of the Russian.

Snyder retained his championship belt, as did the other champions on the card, Kyle Dake and Helen Maroulis.

Many wrestling fans assumed the fireworks would come from Snyder and Sadulaev; however, the main event proved to be extremely exciting as Merab Dvalishvili downed Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo, 11-8. Cejudo jumped out to a commanding 8-0 lead, but the hometown hero, Dvalishvili, scored 11 unanswered points to bring the Georgian crowd to its feet.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Kuat Khamitov  11-0

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Brock Hardy over Alibeg Alibegov 13-2

Women’s Bantamweight (130 lbs) - Anastasia Nichita over Sangeeta Phogat  7-6

Catchweight - Razambek Zhamalov over Jarrett Jacques  3-2

Women’s Bantamweight Championship (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis over Anhelina Lysak  12-2

Heavyweight (UNL) - Geno Petriashvili over Jake Varner  10-0

Heavyweight (UNL) - Givi Matcharashvili over Zach Elam  7-3

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Ernazar Akmataliev over Zain Retherford  3-3

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Vladimer Khinchegashvili over Conor Beebe  11-0

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake over Vladimeri Gamkrelidze  2-0

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder over Abdulrashid Sadulaev  10-4

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Merab Dvalishvili over Henry Cejudo  11-8

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is set to break the mold this weekend with its RAF Georgia card. This will be the first RAF event to take place outside the United States, and Georgia will be the host country. As you might expect, this nation, which has provided the world with some great wrestlers and fighters, will be heavily featured among the 12 bouts on this card.

This will also be the first time that RAF puts on multiple shows in one month. Next week, they’ll travel to Milwaukee for an excellent RAF 11 card. We’ll discuss that one later.

The RAF Georgia event has to be one of the most star-studded stand-alone events of its kind. There are EIGHT Olympic gold medalists signed on to compete at this event. Two matches feature Olympic gold medalists clashing.

The co-main events will feature one of the most anticipated matches in wrestling, along with two of the most popular UFC fighters of recent years.

Buckle in for a preview of the action that will take place this Sunday in Georgia.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo

This was supposed to be the main event of the RAF 08 card in Philadelphia, but Henry Cejudo pulled out late with an injury. Two months earlier, Cejudo made his RAF debut with an impressive 11-0 tech over Urijah Faber. That match provided glimpses of what made Cejudo an Olympic champion and later a record-setting MMA fighter in the UFC. Merab Dvalishvili ended up making his first on-mat appearance in RAF at the RAF 09 show, where he cruised against Frankie Edgar. Dvalishvili has the slight age advantage (which has been critical in the MMA fighters/wrestlers division) and will likely have a huge push from the home crowd, as many Georgian wrestlers on this card will receive.

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder vs. Abdulrashid Sadulaev

Wow! RAF has made one of the best matches possible as they pit Olympic gold medalists against each other with Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Both earned Olympic gold medals at the 2016 Rio Games - Sadualev at 86 kg and Snyder at 97 kg. A year later, Sadulaev moved up to 97 kg and Snyder defeated him by a point in the world finals. Sadualev returned the favor with wins in 2018, 2020, and 2021. After winning a 2024 world championship at 92 kg, Sadulaev has dealt with injuries and didn’t compete at the world level in 2025. Without Sadulaev in the picture, Snyder returned to the top of the heap at 97 kg and won his fifth World/Olympic gold medal. Any time these two legends meet, it’s a memorable occasion, so expect no different on Saturday.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Kuat Khamitov

For those outside of the wrestling world, Arman Tsarukyan has become one of the faces of RAF. He has competed and won on the last six RAF cards and is looking to bring his streak to seven. That seems like it could be the case as he takes on Kazakhstan’s 38-year-old MMA fighter Kuat Khamitov. Khamitov has 38 career MMA fights, so he’s obviously a seasoned, tough competitor, but I’m not sure of his wrestling background.

Heavyweight (UNL) - Zach Elam vs. Givi Matcharashvili

This will be the RAF debut for the former two-time All-American from Missouri, Zach Elam. In Elam’s only major international competition, he was a Junior world silver medalist at 97 kg, way back in 2018. Elam jumps into the deep end in RAF with a first bout against Georgian Givi Matcharashvili. Matcharashvili is a two-time world bronze medalist and a 2024 Olympic silver medalist. He is 1-1 in RAF with a win over Stephen Buchanan and a loss to Kyle Snyder.

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake vs. Vladimeri Gamkrelidze

Of the pure wrestlers associated with RAF, few have been as active and successful as cruiserweight champion, Kyle Dake. This will be his fifth match with the organization. In his last outing, Dake held off Parker Keckeisen, 7-1. He recently earned another world team berth, winning a three-match series with 2025 world champion, Zahid Valencia. Vladimeri Gamkrelidze should represent Dake’s stiffest competition in RAF, thus far. Gamkrelidze is a 2023 world silver medalist and owns a tech fall win over Valencia earlier this year.

Heavyweight (UNL) - Geno Petriashvili vs. Jake Varner

It’s the rare Olympic gold versus Olympic gold matchup as Jake Varner meets Geno Petriashvili at heavyweight. Varner competed on the RAF 02 card, where he posted a 5-1 victory over Patrick Downey in his adopted hometown of State College, Pennsylvania. Varner is a 2012 Olympic gold medal winner at 96 kg. He hasn’t competed regularly since 2016, but looked solid at heavyweight against Downey. Petriashvili shocked Iranian Amir Zare to win the 2024 Olympic gold medal at 125 kg. Petriashvili also lost in the final seconds to Gable Steveson at the 2020 Olympics. Even so, Petriashvili earned the reputation of one of the best big men of his era. Over the course of his career, Petriashvili captured three world titles and has 11 world/Olympic medals.

Women’s Bantamweight Championship (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis vs. Anhelina Lysak

Who better to have on this card full of Olympic gold medalists than the first American woman to win gold, Helen Maroulis? Maroulis continues to defy age and just earned a spot on the world team for the 12th time. In 2025, Maroulis captured her fourth world title and has five gold medals from the Olympics/World Championships combined. Maroulis will defend her championship title against Anhelina Lysak, a 2022 world bronze medalist. A year later, in 2023, Maroulis defeated Lysak 10-6 for world bronze. In 2024, Lysak competed in the Olympic Games for the first time.

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Vladimer Khinchegashvili vs. Conor Beebe

It couldn’t be a card in Georgia without 2016 Olympic gold medalist Vladimer Khinchegashivli! Khinchegashivli already has a pair of RAF matches under his belt. He fell to budding superstar Bo Bassett, but earned his first win over Johnni DiJulius. As evidenced against DiJulius, this isn’t the 2016 version of Khinchegashvili, which made him one of the best lightweights in the world; however, he’s capable of channeling that version and delivering some highlight reel action. Beebe’s only appearance with RAF saw him drop a 9-6 match to DiJulius. He has partnered with the organization to run/operate the first RAF branded wrestling club.

Women’s Bantamweight (130 lbs) - Anastasia Nichita vs. Vinesh Phogat

It looks like RAF is potentially trying to introduce and establish a new challenger for Helen Maroulis….which is great. There are two excellent options with 2024 Olympic silver medalist Anastasia Nichita and two-time world medalist Vinesh Phogat. Phogat was also a potential Olympic finalist - opposite Sarah Hildebrandt in 2024; however, she did not make weight and was not awarded a medal. Nichita is also a 2022 world champion and a world silver medalist. For her 2022 world title, Nichita defeated former Campbellsville star Grace Bullen in the world finals.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Zain Retherford vs. Ernazar Akmataliev

A couple of months ago now, Zain Retherford returned to competition on a whim and ended up defeating 2025 NCAA champion Antrell Taylor at RAF 09 and earned a spot on the Senior World Team after downing Taylor’s Nebraska teammate Ridge Lovett at Final X. At 70 kg, Retherford won a world title in 2023 and established himself as the man to beat at that weight. One of the top medal challengers at that weight is Enazar Akmataliev. Akmataliev is a three-time world medalist, having won his most recent hardware at the 2025 World Championships. He’s a great litmus test for where Retherford currently stands at 70 kg.

Catchweight - Jarrett Jacques vs. Razambek Zhamalov

Jarrett Jacques is a competitor who had a quality career at Missouri, but one that wouldn’t indicate he’d be a star at the Senior level. Though he didn’t reach the NCAA podium in college, Jacques has thrived at the Senior level with a fourth place showing at the 2024 Olympic Trials and the same finish at the 2025 US Open. Also in 2025, Jacques earned a spot on the national team at 74 kg. The competition gets much stiffer for Jacques this week with 2024 Olympic champion Razambek Zhamalov in Georgia. Zhamalov is also a former U23 World champion and U20 silver medalist. He hasn’t been in action much since the Olympics, so I’m not sure exactly what to expect from him.

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Brock Hardy vs. Alibeg Alibegov

Initially, this was supposed to be feature Alibeg Alibegov versus 2025 world medalist Real Woods; however, with Woods withdrawing from Final X due to an injury, a change seemed inevitable. In steps Brock Hardy for his RAF debut. Hardy is coming off a remarkable career at Nebraska that saw him earn All-American honors four times, including a finals appearance in 2025. The former Husker also has a good freestyle pedigree; he was a U23 world bronze medalist in 2023. His opponent, Alibegov, is a former U20 world bronze medalist and grabbed a bronze medal at the Asian Championships earlier this year, representing Bahrain.

It’s a busy time to follow Real American Freestyle (RAF)! For the first time in the organization’s short history, they will have two events in the same months, followed by a one-year anniversary show in August. With RAF Georgia (July 11th) and RAF 11 (July 18th) right around the corner, the organization is putting the final touches on each card.

Yesterday, RAF made one change to the Georgia card before announcing it was finalized. Featherweight champion Real Woods had to push back his Final X match with Bo Bassett and predictably, was removed from the Georgia card. Taking his place against Asian bronze medalist Alibeg Alibegov is four-time NCAA All-American Brock Hardy. Hardy’s freestyle matches tend to feature a lot of points, so this should be a great debut.

After Final X, RAF has been furiously adding and announcing matches for the RAF 11 card in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Some of the new matches include:

• A new women’s division (cruiserweight) featuring a match between American legend Adeline Gray and current top contender Skylar Grote.
• They didn’t meet for true third at Final X, but Austin DeSanto will have his bantamweight belt on the line versus Ben Davino.
• Returning world champion Trent Hidlay will face Azerbaijan’s Magomedkhan Magomedov, an Olympic bronze medalist and former world finalist.
• Wisconsin native Aeoden Sinclair takes on 2024 Olympic champion Magomed Ramazanov, who wrestles for Bulgaria.
• Patrick Downey and Zac Braunagel were supposed to scrap on the RAF 10 card, but that match was pulled in the days leading up to the event. Now, it will happen on RAF 11.

There’s still space for another couple of matches on the RAF 11 card, so announcements for those will likely be made at some point this week.

RAF 12 got a massive addition to the anniversary card yesterday. Three-time NCAA champion and current UFC star, Bo Nickal, will tangle with 2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly. We had a feeling this was coming as McEnelly was on social media last week nudging Nickal to sign the paperwork to make this match happen. Nickal defeated Jacob Cardenas at the RAF 01 show, but hasn’t wrestled with the organization since then. About a month ago, RAF announced McEnelly’s signing, so this will be his professional debut.

Below are the current, upcoming RAF cards:

RAF Georgia (July 11th)

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder vs. Abdulrashid Sadulaev

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Khamitov

Heavyweight (UNL) - Zach Elam vs. Givi Matcharashvili

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake vs. Vladimeri Gamkrelidze

Heavyweight (UNL) - Jake Varner vs. Geno Petriashvili

Women’s Bantamweight (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis vs. Anhelina Lysak

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Vladimer Khinchegashvili vs. Conor Beebe

Women’s Bantamweight (130 lbs) - Anastasia Nichita vs. Vinesh Phogat

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Zain Retherford vs. Enazar Akmataliev

Catchweight - Jarrett Jacques vs. Razambek Zhamalov

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Brock Hardy vs. Alibeg Alibegov
 

RAF 11 (July 18th)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Colby Covington

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Ben Askren vs. Belal Muhammad

Catchweight - Clay Guida vs. Frankie Edgar

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Keegan O’Toole vs. Christopher Minto

Women’s Cruiserweight - Adaline Gray vs. Skylar Grote

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs) - Austin DeSanto vs. Ben Davino

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Trent Hidlay vs. Magomedkhan Magomedov

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Aeoden Sinclair vs. Magomed Ramazanov

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Patrick Downey vs. Zac Braunagel
 

RAF 12 (August 22nd)

Catchweight - Real Tarzan vs. Larry Wheels

Cruiserweight - Tyron Woodley vs. Joaquin Buckley

Light Heavyweight - Bo Nickal vs. Max McEnelly

After RAF 08, we posted an article playing matchmaker for each of that card’s participants. That proved to be fun and slightly accurate. The Kyle Snyder/Givi Matcharashvili bout was announced shortly after the article was posted, and we’ve worked our way up to an Arman Tsarukyan/Colby Covington bout.

So, we’ve listed all 22 participants from Saturday’s RAF 10 card and paired them with another opponent for a hypothetical (or real) match in the future. There’s also some rationale involved and I’ve tried to channel the RAF matchmaking mindset, so they may not be the “best match ever” for a potential wrestler, but one that makes sense with their history and upcoming schedule.

Arsen Harutyunyan: Rei Higuchi

Initially, we were supposed to see Arsen Harutyunyan and Rei Higuchi square off. Provided Higuchi isn’t seriously injured or anything, we need to see that match!

Caleb Smith: Nathan Tomasello

Caleb Smith took the Harutyunyan match on relatively short notice, so major respect to him in that aspect. Smith stunned the multiple-time world medalist with a takedown to his back to show he is for real. How about a different type of challenge against former RAF champion Nathan Tomasello? Tomasello hasn’t competed since losing the bantamweight belt to Austin DeSanto.

Shamil Sharipov: Greg Kerkvliet

Shamil Sharipov continues to impress. His RAF resume now includes wins over Tony Cassioppi and Yonger Bastida. Could that be title-shot worthy? Perhaps, but let’s give him another high-quality opponent just in case. We haven’t seen Greg Kerkvliet’s name associated with RAF yet, so this may not be realistic. Kerkvliet was back in action this spring and will certainly become one of the top contenders for world team spots going forward.

Yonger Bastida: Trent Hillger

Bastida jumped into the RAF deep end with a debut match against the rising star Sharipov. He acquitted himself well and proved there is a home for him at the heavyweight division. What about a match against 2025 Final X qualifier Trent Hillger. Hillger kept it close with Wyatt Hendrickson this year in his RAF debut.

Andrew Alirez: Injured

Reports emerging from the post-RAF scrum are that Alirez injured his bicep early in his win over Jaydin Eierman. If that’s the case, we’ll have him on the shelf for a while and not project him against anyone for the foreseeable future.

Jaydin Eierman: Beau Bartlett

It looks like Jaydin Eierman is back in the mix for the run-up to the 2028 Olympics. Despite being away from competition for a few years, Eierman didn’t look overly rusty. How about we get a Penn State/Iowa matchup with Eierman and Beau Bartlett? These two didn’t meet in college because Bartlett had moved up to 149 with the presence of Nick Lee at 141.

Keegan O’Toole: Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov

After RAF 10, Keegan O’Toole and Bekzod Abdurakhmanov’s bout was named Match of the Night, and rightfully so. In both of his RAF appearances, O’Toole has faced world medalists, so let’s keep it going. Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (Kadi) was a big part of the first few RAF cards. He is someone who can pull out some awesome offensive skills. O’Toole and Kadi could be a future Match of the Night honor waiting to happen.

Bekzod Abdurakhmanov: Joey Blaze

Let’s pair up two guys who recently lost middleweight matches, but looked very respectable in the process. Blaze fell to an ever-improving Jason Nolf in his debut, so that is nothing to be ashamed of. Put these two together and I think there will be more fireworks.

Sebastian Rivera: Ridge Lovett

This one might be pending a Final X result (or not). Ridge Lovett takes on Zain Retherford in the two-match series on Friday. Either way, the winner will still have a few months before the World Championships and will need something to do in the interim. Retherford already has a match booked for next month on the RAF Georgia card. Lovett needs a dance partner and what about Sebastian Rivera? With a recent world and Olympic medal, Rivera should be near the top of the pecking order, RAF title-wise, so make this a title eliminator match.

Haji Aliyev: Anthony Ashnault

In his RAF debut, we saw some of the flashes that made Haji Aliyev one of the best lightweights of his era. Aliyev hasn’t competed formally for a few years and that was evident as he tired at the end of the third period. Instead of an active world medal threat, how about a guy who’s been coaching in college, Anthony Ashnault? Ashnault fell to Real Woods in his RAF debut, but didn’t look out of place against someone of Woods’ caliber.

Rizabek Aitmukhan: Stephen Buchanan

With a win over Hayden Zillmer, Rizabek Aitmukhan got in the win column for RAF purposes. How about pairing him with someone else with a 1-1 RAF record, Stephen Buchanan? Buchanan is set to tangle with Kyle Snyder at Final X on Friday. He’ll need something after that and has proven he could be in the light heavyweight title hunt.

Hayden Zillmer: Jacob Cardenas

Let’s put Hayden Zillmer together with a wrestler who took on some high-level opponents during his first two RAF appearances, Jacob Cardenas. Cardenas lost to both Bo Nickal and Trent Hidlay; however, which isn’t the worst thing in the world. Let’s get one of these guys an RAF win!

Austin DeSanto: Andriy Yatsenko

Andriy Yatsenko stunned Spencer Lee with a pin on the RAF 03 show, but hasn’t been seen since. I don’t know if there’s a match that you feel like RAF “has” to make at the bantamweight division for its champion, Austin DeSanto. With that in mind, put him against that opponent who pinned his Iowa and Hawkeye Wrestling Club teammate, Lee.

Reineri Andreu Ortega: Seth Gross

There’s an old saying in professional wrestling that Ric Flair could “have a five-star match with a broomstick.” Reineri Andreu Ortega came out on the wrong side of a rather unimpressive match against Austin DeSanto. Neither wrestler really opened up. The solution to the lack of action? Add Seth Gross. Gross can have a memorable, action-packed match with just about anyone. Guaranteed double-digit scores across the board.

Lucia Yepez Guzman: Dom Parrish

Lucia Yepez Guzman looked excellent during her dominating performance on Saturday night. For her troubles, Yepez Guzman was presented with an interim title. As far as American opponents go, I’m not sure if there are any women active on the ladder (aside from perhaps the Final X winner) who might make for an exciting match with Yepez Guzman. With that in mind, how about someone we have seen for a while, Dom Parrish? Parrish is a 2022 world champion and teched Yepez Guzman in the quarterfinals of her title run. Obviously, that was a different version of both wrestlers, but another match could be fun.

Kendra Ryan: Antim Panghal

Looking at matchups booked for upcoming cards, it looks like RAF might have started with the Indian women, a growing and tough group on the women’s freestyle side. Kendra Ryan stepped up and faced one opponent with super, high-level credentials in Yepez Guzman. How about we continue that trend with 53 kg world bronze medalist Antim Panghal? Panghal has beaten two American women over the last year, Katie Gomez and Felicity Taylor.

Aaron Pico: Frank Molinaro

There are a lot of different ways you could go with Aaron Pico and lots of fun matches to be made. Despite the long layoff from competing in wrestling, Pico looks like he could go with some of the top contenders in RAF and the US freestyle ladder. One obvious and interesting opponent for Pico could be his 2016 Olympic Trials finals opponent, Frank Molinaro. This might be a match that RAF wants to save for later down the line, and if that’s the case, I understand.

Lance Palmer: Darrion Caldwell

Lance Palmer works for RAF and has been a good company man and team player. Among his opponents in RAF thus far are Austin Gomez, Arman Tsarukyan, and Aaron Pico. Let’s throw Lance a bone and give him an opponent from his era and one he faced in college, Darrion Caldwell. Caldwell has also taken on some formidable match - actually, both Final X qualifiers, Real Woods and Bo Bassett.

Arman Tsarukyan: We already know

Tsarukyan already has matches booked on the RAF Georgia card and RAF 11, with Kazakh MMA fighter Khamitov and Colby Covington, respectively. We won’t try to project anything further for him.

Tony Ferguson: Michael Chandler

We saw these two square off at UFC 274 and Chandler won via KO. Now, how about on the wrestling mat? Chandler won his RAF debut against Chad Mendes on RAF 03, so he’d probably be down for something like this.

Khamzat Chimaev: Bo Nickal

Being one of the most famous UFC fighters associated with RAF, Khamzat Chimaev will have no shortage of opponents calling him out. I like a catchweight match against Bo Nickal. I’m not sure if RAF wants this match yet. They might want another match where Chimaev is a heavy favorite before pitting him against someone with Nickel’s wrestling credentials. The time is probably right for Bo, who was just victorious on the UFC White House card on Sunday evening.

Dillon Danis: Not interested

He has a track record of being involved with spectacles and general nonsense. I’m sure the brawl at the end of RAF 10 drew some eyes from outside of the wrestling world and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. My thoughts have always been that if you book Danis on a card, you are open to the possibility of some sort of incident. I don’t think RAF needs this; they have high-quality wrestlers and action they can promote.

Saturday night’s show marked the tenth offering for Real American Freestyle (RAF). That seems like a good milestone for the company and an opportunity to look back at all of the results from the first ten shows. These are below in order from ten to one. 

RAF 10 - 6/13/2026: St. Louis, Missouri

Catchweight (205 lbs) - Khamzat Chimaev over Dillon Danis (Fall :44)

Middleweight (185lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan over Tony Ferguson (10-0)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Aaron Pico over Lance Palmer (12-1)

Women’s Strawweight Interim Championship (120 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman over Kendra Ryan (13-2)

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs) - Austin DeSanto over Reineri Andreu Ortega (2-1)

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Rizabek Aitmukhan over Hayden Zillmer (6-4)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Sebastian Rivera over Haji Aliyev (9-5)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Keegan O’Toole over Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (10-6)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Andrew Alirez over Jaydin Eierman (5-3)

Heavyweight (UNL) - Shamil Sharipov over Yonger Bastida (5-3)

Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Arsen Harutyunyan over Caleb Smith (14-4)
 

RAF 09 - 5/30/2026: Arlington, Texas

Heavyweight (UNL) - Gable Steveson over Aleksandr Romanov (10-0)

Catchweight (200 lbs) - Colby Covington over Chris Weidman (5-4)

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder over Givi Matcharshvili (10-0)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Merab Dvalishvili over Frankie Edgar (12-1)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Real Woods over Ibragim Ilyasov (Fall 3:01)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Parker Keckeisen over Georgios Kougioumtsidis (8-5)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf over Christopher Minto (10-5)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Zain Retherford over Antrell Taylor (8-0)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Ridge Lovett over Bajrang Punia (13-8)

Catchweight (125 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman over Cam Guerin (10-0)

Middleweight (185 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan over Mugzy Bulljunk (16-5)
 

RAF 08 - 4/18/2026: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Middleweight (185 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan over Urijah Faber (13-1)

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder over Rizabek Aitmukhan (12-6)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia over Aeoden Sinclair (8-2)

Heavyweight (UNL) - Shamil Sharipov over Tony Cassioppi (Fall 1:45)

Women’s Bantamweight Championship (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis over Alexis Janiak (10-0)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Real Woods over Anthony Ashnault (7-2)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf over Joey Blaze (11-2)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Vladimir Khinchegashvili over Johnni DiJulius  (8-5)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Lance Palmer over Cayden Henschel  (3-2)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver over Mike Van Brill (5-0)

Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Lucas Byrd over Darian Cruz (2-2)
 

RAF 07 - 3/28/2026: Tampa, Florida

Middleweight (185 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan over Georgio Poullas (9-3)

Catchweight (200 lbs) - Colby Covington over Dillon Danis (14-4)

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake over Parker Keckeisen (7-1)

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder over Akhmed Tazhudinov  (3-3)

Women’s Middleweight Championship (150 lbs) - Kennedy Blades over Milana Dudieva (11-0)

Heavyweight Championship (UNL) - Wyatt Hendrickson over Trent Hillger (6-2)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Bo Bassett over Vladimir Khinchegashvili (13-3)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Aeoden Sinclair over Khidir Saipudinov (9-4)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf over David Mistulov (10-0)

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Trent Hidlay over Patrick Downey (12-0)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Johnni DiJulius over Conor Beebe (9-6)
 

RAF 06 - 2/28/2026: Tempe, Arizona

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Henry Cejudo over Urijah Faber  11-0

Middleweight (185 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan over Georgio Poullas (5-3)

Catchweight (170 lbs) - Aljamain Sterling over Benson Henderson (Fall :52)

Welterweight (165 lbs) - David Carr over Bubba Jenkins (13-2)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Andrew Alirez over Bryce Meredith (13-2)

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Givi Matcharashivli over Stephen Buchanan (3-3)

Women’s Strawweight (120 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman over Everest Leydecker (10-3)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Tajmuraz Salkazanov over Keegan O’Toole (9-0)

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Evan Wick over Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (13-2)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia over Mahmoud Sebie (10-0)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver over Beau Bartlett (5-3)

Welterweight (165 lbs) - Mugzy Bulljunk over Clay Guida (13-3)
 

RAF 05 - 1/5/2026: Sunrise, Florida

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Colby Covington over Luke Rockhold (12-0)

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake over Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (10-7)

Catchweight (170 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan over Lance Palmer (10-0)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver over Real Woods (3-3)

Heavyweight (UNL) - Stephen Buchanan over Yoel Romero (10-0)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia over Nate Jackson (4-0)

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs) - Austin DeSanto over Nathan Tomasello (11-1)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Bo Bassett over Cayden Henschel (14-4)

Heavyweight (UNL) - Mostafa Elders over Steve Mocco (6-1)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Pat Lugo over Johnni DiJulius (11-10)

Open - Georgio Poullas over Mugzy Bulljunk (11-1)
 

RAF 04 - 12/20/2026: Fishers, Indiana

Heavyweight Championship (UNL) - Wyatt Hendrickson over Mason Parris (13-2)

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Yoel Romero over Patrick Downey  (10-0)

Catchweight (185 lbs) - David Carr over Belal Muhammad (10-0)

Women’s Middleweight (150 lbs) - Kennedy Blades over Alara Boyd (10-0)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov over Dustin Plott (11-7)

Middleweight Championship (175 lbs) - Dean Hamiti over Evan Wick (5:00)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Parker Keckeisen over Zahid Valencia  10-2

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Trent Hidlay over Jacob Cardenas  5-3

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf over Andy Varela  10-0

 

RAF 03 - 11/19/2026: Chicago, Illinois

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Michael Chandler over Chad Mendes (4-1)

Women’s Middleweight Championship (150 lbs) - Kennedy Blades over Alejandra Rivera (11-0)

Heavyweight (UNL) - Akhmed Tazhudinov over Tony Cassioppi (Fall 3:39)

Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Andriy Yatsenko over Spencer Lee (Fall 5:59)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Austin Gomez over Austin O’Connor (9-1)

Featherweight Championship (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver over Real Woods (2-2)

Catchweight (165 lbs) - Cayden Henschel over Clay Guida (11-0)

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Patrick Downey over Joaquin Buckley (11-0)

Women’s Middleweight (150 lbs) - Alexis Gomez over Bella Mir (7-3)

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Bo Bassett over Darrion Caldwell (Fall 1:00)
 

RAF 02 - 10/25/2025: State College, Pennsylvania

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake over Boris Makoev (7-1)

Women’s Bantamweight Championship (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis over Samantha Stewart (6-0)

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs) - Nathan Tomasello over Matt Ramos (5-3)

Welterweight Championship (165 lbs) - David Carr over Amr Reda (18-6)

Heavyweight (UNL) - Jake Varner over Patrick Downey (5-1)

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Nate Jackson over Carter Starocci (7-2)

Open - Cayden Henschel over Mugzy Bulljunk (11-1)

Heavyweight (UNL) - Mason Parris over Aleksandr Romanov (11-0)

Welterweight (165 lbs) - Tajmuraz Salkazanov over James Green (4-4)

Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Austin DeSanto over Nico Megaludis (10-0)
 

RAF 01 - 8/30/2025: Cleveland, Ohio

Heavyweight Championship (UNL) - Wyatt Hendrickson over Mostafa Elders (14-1)

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs) - Bo Nickal over Jacob Cardenas (6-4)

Women’s Middleweight (150 lbs) - Alejandra Rivera over Holly Holm (9-7)

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake over Dean Hamiti (11-0)

Featherweight Championship (145 lbs) - Real Woods over Darrion Caldwell (Fall 2:31)

Women’s Strawweight (120 lbs) - Sarah Hildebrandt over Zeltzin Hernandez (11-0)

Middleweight Championship (175 lbs) - Evan Wick over Jason Nolf (10-8)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Austin Gomez over Lance Palmer (11-0)

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Yianni Diakomihalis over Bajrang Punia (5-1)

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs) - Nathan Tomasello over Matt Ramos (4-3)

We’re just over a day away from Real American Freestyle’s 10th show RAF 10. Aside from a loaded card, the organization is riding a wave of excitement and buzz created by the announcement of Jordan Burroughs’ signing and participation on the RAF 12 anniversary card, along with a crazy event slated for next month in Georgia (the country).

Over the last three or four events, we’ve said each was more loaded than the prior one. I think that continues here with RAF 10. You have the debut of Khamzat Chimaev, plus the return of Aaron Pico, two championship matches and a lot of good matchmaking.

RAF 10 takes place tomorrow night live from St. Louis University’s Chaifetz Arena and available on FoxNation. Here’s what to expect from each of the bouts on this card.

Catchweight - Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dillon Danis

One of the biggest signings thus far for RAF has been former UFC middleweight champion Khamzet Chimaev. Chimaev’s signing drew plenty of attention from outside of the wrestling community. He’ll make his debut on Saturday against Dillon Danis. Chimaev grew up wrestling freestyle in Sweden and has a variety of national titles from that country. Since Chimaev is an active MMA fighter in his prime, with a wrestling background, I’d expect him to thrive in RAF. I’d also expect plenty of wrestlers to want to create a super-match against him in the future.

Danis tangled with Colby Covington on the RAF 07 card. He fell 14-4, though he had some moments early. Based on Danis’ reputation, there’s a chance we see some off-the-mat shenanigans from him at some point.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Tony Ferguson

Arman Tsarukyan has established himself as one of the biggest stars in RAF, along with one of the busiest. This will be his sixth straight RAF card he’s appeared on. Each has resulted in a win for the Armenian. His latest opponent is former UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson.  Ferguson did win a national title for Muskegon CC, but is now 42 years old. It doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be able to stop Tsarukyan’s winning streak.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Lance Palmer vs. Aaron Pico

The real ones know! Aaron Pico remains one of the biggest “what if’s” in college and Senior level wrestling. Pico was a youth sensation and boasts a 6-0 record against 2024 Olympian and world champion Zain Retherford. For reference, Retherford only lost three times throughout his career at Penn State and never after his freshman year. Pico made the 2016 Olympic Trials after defeating Jayson Ness, Jordan Oliver, and Reece Humphrey. In the Trials finals, he lost to Frank Molinaro in three matches. Right out of high school, Pico focused on an MMA and freestyle wrestling career - he took part in collegiate wrestling.

After a long, winding road, Pico made it to the UFC in 2025 and is 1-1 in the organization. At the point, we don’t know what to expect from him as a pure wrestler, but he has a remarkable pedigree and could make for some great matchups in RAF.

He’ll get started with Lance Palmer. We’ve seen Palmer three times in RAF and he sports a 1-2 record. Palmer hasn’t been able to hang with the current top stars, but it should be a good litmus test for where Pico’s wrestling fits in in 2026.

Women’s Strawweight Interim Championship (120 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman vs. Kendra Ryan

With Sarah Hildebrandt suffering an injury at the US Open, it looked like it might be necessary for her to relinquish her strawweight title or at least have an interim title. At RAF 09, Lucia Yepez Guzman turned in a dominant performance over Cam Guerin and looked like someone who should be in the title picture. An interim title match with her makes a lot of sense. North Central grad Kendra Ryan will look to spoil Yepez Guzman’s ascent to the title. She was a four-time All-American for North Central and recently was fourth at the US Open. Both of her Open losses were of the one-point variety and to veterans of the Senior level.

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs) - Austin DeSanto vs. Reineri Andreu Ortega

During his most recent RAF appearance, Austin DeSanto posted an 11-1 tech fall victory over the bantamweight champion Nathan Tomasello. Now, the three-time NCAA All-American from Iowa will make his first title defense. Both of DeSanto’s matches with RAF have ended with tech fall wins, can the streak continue? Reineri Ortega

Is looking to snap the streak and hand DeSanto his first RAF loss and grab his belt. Ortega was a 2019 U23 world champion and is someone with big move potential.

Light Heavyweight (215 lbs) - Hayden Zillmer vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan

Hayden Zillmer had been slated to appear on an earlier RAF Card, but that match was scrapped, so this will be his debut with the organization. Zillmer has been all over the place during his Senior level career. He has made it to Final X at three different weights, winning once, and advancing to the 2022 world team at 125 kg. Rizabeck Aitmukhan is seeking some redemption after a less-than-ideal debut at RAF 08. In that match, Aitumukhan got out to a 6-0 lead on Kyle Snyder in a lightweight title bout and succumbed to the pressure and vocal crowd in a 12-6 loss. Since then, Aitmukhan captured an Asian U23 title. Despite already winning a world title at the Senior level in 2023, Aitmukhan still holds U23 eligibility.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Sebastian Rivera vs. Haji Aliyev

Some of the best action on this card could come from the World/Olympic medalists that are slated to clash in the lightweight division as Sebastian Rivera meets Haji Aliyev. Rivera was a 2023 world silver medalist and, a year later, captured bronze at the Olympic Games. His bronze medal matchup versus Tulga Tumur Ochir of Mongolia was one of the more memorable moments of the tournament. Haji Aliyev was one of the top lightweights of his generation. Aliyev was a three-time world champion at 61 kg for Azerbaijan and a two-time Olympic medalist at 57 and 65 kg. He hasn’t been in serious action since the 2024 Olympic Games, but should be capable of putting on a show.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Keegan O’Toole vs. Bekzod Abdurakhmanov

It’s another tough task for Keegan O’Toole in RAF. In his debut, O’Toole fell to returning world bronze medalist Tajmuraz Salkazanov. Now he has world and Olympic bronze medalist Bekzod Abdurakhmanov. The former Clarion All-American, Abdurakhmanov, initially made a name for himself internationally when he defeated Jordan Burroughs at the 2016 Olympic Games. One difference between Abdurakhmanov and Salkazanov is that Bekzod has not competed internationally since 2024. O’Toole was a two-time national champion at Missouri and has some excellent freestyle credentials to his name. He was a gold medalist at the U20 World Championships in 2021 and the U23 Championships in 2023.

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Andrew Alirez vs. Jaydin Eierman

Andrew Alirez is back for his second go ‘round in RAF. His debut was an extremely impressive 13-2 tech over Bryce Meredith at the RAF 06 show in Tempe. Alirez was a 2023 NCAA champion for Northern Colorado and defeated current RAF featherweight champion Real Woods to get his title. Now, he’ll face one of Woods’ collegiate teammates, Jaydin Eierman. Eierman earned All-American honors five times during his career at Missouri and Iowa. Back in 2019, Eierman was a member of the U23 World Team. For as much success as he had in college, Eierman’s style might be better suited for freestyle and this has “Match of the Night” potential.

Heavyweight (UNL) - Shamil Sharipov vs. Yonger Bastida

Shamil Sharipov impressed in his RAF debut on the RAF 08 card. He needed less than two minutes to pin former U23 world champion Tony Cassioppi. Earlier in the year, at the Zagreb Open, Sharipov pinned RAF champion and Senior World Team member Wyatt Hendrickson in the gold medal match. In 2025, Sharipov earned a bronze medal at his first Senior world event. 2026 NCAA finalist Yonger Bastida is a welcome addition to the RAF heavyweight division. He’ll make his RAF debut on Saturday. Bastida is Cuban-born, but is reportedly looking to eventually represent the USA internationally.

Bantamweight (135 lbs) - Arsen Harutyunyan vs. Caleb Smith

This match was originally slated to include Arsen Harutyunyan and Olympic champion Rei Higuchi, but Higuchi was pulled in favor of Caleb Smith. Harutyunyan has been one of the best lightweights in Europe and worldwide over the past few years; however, he really came into the spotlight for American wrestling fans last summer when he defeated Spencer Lee at the World Championships and Roman Bravo-Young for a bronze medal. It was his fourth world medal at the Senior level. Caleb Smith is just trying to establish himself internationally after earning All-American honors twice for Nebraska. Late last year, Smith won the Bill Farrell, and recently, he picked up a silver medal representing Puerto Rico at the Pan-American Championships.

TAMPA, FL (June 11, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, announces today that Jordan Burroughs, the most decorated wrestler in American history, has signed with the promotion for RAF 12 in Cleveland on August 22nd. Taking place at Rocket Arena, the event celebrates the one-year anniversary of RAF's launch, bringing the promotion back to the city where it launched its historic debut event and sparked a new era for professional wrestling in August 2025. 

Burroughs is widely considered one of the best wrestlers in the sport’s history. His combined seven world titles (1x Olympic gold, 6x World Championships) is the most for any athlete from America in freestyle wrestling. In the midst of his success, he held a legendary unbeaten run at the international senior level of 69 consecutive victories. 

Jordan Burroughs was one of the first wrestlers to catch the mainstream public eye. Once called up to the USA team for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he famously called his shot by changing his social media handle to “@alliseeisgold”. He went on to go through the tournament undefeated, claiming his Olympic gold at age 23, and holding onto “All I See is Gold” as his mantra. All I See is Gold is now the name of the wrestling academy he operates. 

The signing leads into RAF’s stacked summer of events, beginning with RAF10 this weekend at St Louis’s Chaifetz Arena. This will be headlined by Khamzat Chimaev’s debut taking on Dillon Danis. Then, RAF moves to its extremely decorated first international event in Georgia on July 11th, closely followed by the highly-anticipated matchup between Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington at RAF11 Milwaukee. RAF12 Cleveland will close out the summer on August 22nd at the Rocket Arena, with Burroughs the first confirmed athlete. Matchup details will follow closely, with updates posted to RAF’s social platforms here.

TAMPA, FL (June 3, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, today announced it is taking its rapidly-growing platform overseas, bringing world-class freestyle wrestling to Georgia’s Tbilisi Arena on July 11 with global, marquee matchups between Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo and Abdulrashid Sadulaev and Kyle Snyder. As part of its international expansion and development, RAF has also named world-renowned coach and competitor, Eldar Khan Eldarov as Head of International Events, with the league targeting additional global events as it enters its sophomore year. 

Georgia has earned its place as one of the world’s most respected wrestling nations, with 18 Olympic medals in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, including three golds. Home to RAF athletes Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Merab Dvalishvili, Geno Petriashvili, and Givi Matcharashvili, Georgia gives RAF an international stage rooted in Olympic pedigree, combat sports pride, and world-class talent. The Georgia card will showcase that legacy in real time, featuring some of the country’s biggest names across the following matchups:

• Former UFC Bantamweight Champion, Merab Dvalishvili vs. Olympic Gold Medalist and one of the UFC’s only double champions, Henry Cejudo as the main event
• RAF debut of Olympic heavyweight great Abdulrashid Sadulaev vs. Olympic Gold Medalist and current RAF Light Heavyweight Champt, Kyle Snyder, in a highly anticipated rematch as co-main event
• Olympic Silver Medalist & heavyweight standout, Givi Matcharashvili vs. two-time NCAA All-American, Zach Elam
• Olympic Gold Medalist & three-time World Champion, Geno Petriashvili and Arman Tsarukyan included among confirmed competitors

“Wrestling has always been a global sport. What it has lacked is a global platform,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of RAF. “RAF was built to change that. Georgia is home to some of the greatest wrestlers in the world and one of the proudest wrestling cultures anywhere. We couldn’t imagine a better place to launch our international expansion.”

"Wrestling is part of Georgia's identity, and there is no better place for RAF to launch its international expansion - the energy, passion, and tradition of wrestling make this the perfect place," said Tevdore Makashvilli, Country Lead, RAF Georgia. "Our athletes have spent decades proving themselves on the Olympic and world stage, and now RAF is bringing a new level of opportunity, visibility, and excitement to the sport. This event will showcase some of the best wrestlers in the world in front of one of the most passionate wrestling fan bases anywhere. We're proud to partner with RAF - it's a statement about where the sport is headed, and we're excited for Georgia to help lead that future.”

RAF Georgia will feature the highly anticipated RAF debut of Olympic heavyweight great Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who will face fellow Olympic Gold Medalist, Kyle Snyder, in a highly anticipated rematch. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Sadulaev boasts two Olympic Gold Medals in two separate weight classes, alongside eight World Championships. Snyder brings his own decorated resume to the matchup, with Olympic Gold and Silver Medals, seven World Championships, and the RAF Light Heavyweight Championship belt. The all-time rivalry between the two sits at four matches, with three going Sadulaev’s way during the 2018 World Championships, 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and 2021 World Championships. Snyder claimed a win in the series the first time they met at the 2017 World Championships, snapping Sadulaev’s 75-match win streak. 

This event will also mark the debut of Georgian legend, Geno Petriashvili, who will join the card as one of the most accomplished heavyweight wrestlers of his generation. Petriashvili won Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games after previously earning Olympic silver in 2020 and bronze in 2016. A three-time World Champion, two-time European Champion, and United World Wrestling’s 2024 Freestyle Wrestler of the Year, Petriashvili has been a dominant force for nearly a decade. 

The above will compete alongside undefeated RAF standout Arman Tsarukyan in his seventh straight RAF appearance competing in his birth country. Tsarukyan, whose competitor is to be determined, is one of MMA’s hottest names, a well-deserved lightweight contender, and now a force to be reckoned with in freestyle wrestling.

The event is the first for Eldar Khan Eldarov as RAF’s Head of International Events. As a fighter, his professional combat record boasts 14 wins and only one loss, but his career beyond fighting shows his lasting impact on the sport. Eldar is an advisor to the President of the Olympic Committee as Head of the Combat Sports Department, and has been the head coach of the Bahrain National MMA and Wrestling Teams since 2016. Under his leadership, the country achieved both a historic first-place team finish at the 2021 IMMAF World Championships, and the first Olympic wrestling gold medal. Athletes from both disciplines under his tutelage have found international success across regional and intercontinental championships alongside progression to promotions, including the UFC, PFL, and BRAVE CF.

Bronstein continued, “As always with RAF, this is bigger than one event, and that’s why we are investing in bringing people like Eldar Khan in - who understand the international combat landscape, the athletes cultivated in it, and how we can continue growing across international markets in the most impactful way.”

“Being named Head of International for RAF is a role I’m proud to take on,” said Eldar Khan, Head of International at RAF. “RAF has already proven it can attract elite athletes, and now the goal is to bring that platform to the countries where wrestling and combat sports are part of the culture. Georgia gives RAF a strong foundation for its first international event, with real wrestling history and Olympic successes. This is the first step in building RAF internationally, and I’m excited to help lead that work.”

Beyond its professional events, RAF continues to enrich across the broader wrestling landscape. The league recently launched RAF NEXT GEN, a national youth wrestling tournament series designed to give young athletes a connected pathway into the RAF ecosystem, from rankings-based competition to the chance to compete for belts on the RAF main stage. Now, with its first international event set for Georgia and Eldar Khan leading global expansion as Head of International, RAF is extending that momentum across generations, markets, and borders.

RAF’s summer schedule continues in St. Louis for RAF10 on June 13th, Milwaukee for RAF11 on July 18th headlined by Colby Covington and Arman Tsarukyan, and Cleveland for RAF12’s anniversary event on August 22. Full matchups will be available here as they are added.

For more information and updates, visit realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA on all platforms.

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new main stage for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF brings Olympic champions, World medalists, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes together in a modern fight-night format built for today’s combat sports audience.

Since launching in 2025, RAF has quickly emerged as one of the fastest-growing properties in combat sports, generating billions of media impressions and more than 250 million social views per event. RAF combines elite competition, global storytelling, and high-level production to create matchups and moments that extend far beyond the mat.

All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation. Beyond the professional league, RAF is building a broader wrestling ecosystem through clinics, athlete development initiatives and a national youth wrestling tournament series under RAF NEXT GEN.

For more information and updates, visit realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA.

For an organization that puts together unexpected, shocking matchups, the latest from Real American Freestyle (RAF) might take the cake. This afternoon, RAF announced that Ben Askren will make his return to the wrestling mat on July 18th to compete against former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at RAF 11. 

What makes this announcement so unbelievable is the fact that Askren underwent a double lung transplant last summer and was hospitalized for over a month. Askren initially went to the hospital after suffering from a severe staph infection. 

When RAF was in its early stages, Askren was the first wrestler signed with the organization and had planned to compete. He has since given his input as a rules interpreter and watched several of his former pupils excel in the organization. 

Askren has been one of the most influential wrestlers of recent memory. His scrambling and funk techniques helped revolutionize the sport. He wasn’t the first wrestler to utilize some of those techniques, but he was someone who took it to another level and helped make them commonplace. 

Those unique skills led Askren to a pair of NCAA titles and Hodge Trophies in 2006 and 2007. He was also  a national finalist in each of his four years competing for Missouri. After college, Askren made the 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing. Askren then transitioned to MMA and won a title with ONE FC, before moving into the UFC. 

The RAF 11 show is of importance to Askren because it falls on his 41st birthday and takes place in his home state of Wisconsin (Milwaukee). 

Askren and Muhammad will serve as the co-main event to a bout between UFC stars Colby Covington and Arman Tsarukyan. More matches will be announced in the next few weeks. I’d assume that plenty of Askren’s ex-wrestlers will be involved.

After RAF 08, we posted an article playing matchmaker for each of those cards participants. That proved to be fun and slightly accurate. The Kyle Snyder/Givi Matcharashvili bout was announced shortly after the article was posted, and we’ve worked our way up to an Arman Tsarukyan/Colby Covington bout. There are others from the RAF 08 card who haven’t been booked for another bout yet, so technically, we could have a couple more W’s in the imaginary win column here.

So, we’ve listed all 22 participants from Saturday’s RAF 09 card and paired them with another opponent for a hypothetical (or real) match in the future. There’s also some rationale involved and I’ve tried to channel the RAF matchmaking mindset, so they may not be the “best match ever” for a potential wrestler, but one that makes sense with their history and upcoming schedule.

Also, check out this response from Eric Bischoff regarding whether there will be a huge “WrestleMania”- type event for RAF. It appears that the RAF 12 show might be the closest thing, so they might unveil some of the biggest possible matches on that card.

Great question! We are in early stages of planning something special on our 1 year anniversary. I can see us building a special event once a year. Thanks for the suggestion! @RAFWrestlingUSA @foxnation https://t.co/Ldzt2AlxKP

— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) May 31, 2026

Arman Tsarukyan: Colby Covington

This was actually our recommendation after RAF 08. An Arman/Colby matchup has already been booked for the main event of RAF 11, so we’re not going out on a limb or anything. This makes sense. Both have at least three wins in RAF and have generally been pretty dominant in the MMA fighters subset of the organization. Each could be considered controversial in their own right, so this match and main event will sell.

Mugzy: Urijah Faber

In his debut, Faber faced a massive size disadvantage when he took on Arman Tsarukyan. How about someone closer to his size in Mugzy?

Lucia Yepez Guzman: Maria Prevolaraki

Initially, Maria Prevolaraki was slated to wrestle Sarah Hildebrandt at RAF 04. That match ended up getting scrapped, but we know that Prevolaraki is on the organization’s radar. She could present a credible threat for Yepez Guzman. The two met in 2023 at the World Championships in a bronze medal matchup won by Yepez Guzman. I suppose you could also make a match with either of the two Final X participants at 53 kg - Cristelle Rodriguez or Elena Ivaldi. Maybe the more pressing issue is whether the women’s strawweight belt goes vacant with Hildebrandt injured at the US Open? Yepez Guzman was signaling for the belt in the post-match scrum. She deserves to be in the conversation after wins over Guerin and Everest Leydecker.

Cam Guerin: Michaela Beck

The Yepez Guzman match took place at a catchweight as Guerin is more accustomed to competing in the 57/59 range. At the US Open, Guerin dropped a 7-3 match to Michaela Beck. Beck seems to have a personality that would thrive in RAF, so let’s get a rematch.

Ridge Lovett: Ernazar Akmataliev

I believe the Ridge Lovett and Bajrang Punia match was billed as a title eliminator matchup. That would mean that Lovett takes on Zain Retherford. That’s a great match and all; however, the pair is set to collide in a best-of-three series at Final X. Does RAF run that back immediately? I’d go a different direction. Ernazar Akmataliev was initially slated to face Retherford at RAF 09. What about another top international opponent for Lovett? He and Akmataliev could create some fireworks.

Bajrang Punia: Bryce Andonian

It’s only a matter of time before Bryce Andonian hits the mat at RAF, right? Andonian is always a must-watch with his big-move potential. In his two RAF matches, Punia has squared off with two of the best at the lightweight/70 kg weight class (Yianni/Lovett). How about someone a couple of steps down, but still a decorated and dangerous opponent?

Zain Retherford: Jordan Oliver

I’m going with the same opponent I mentioned in our post-RAF 08 matchmaking - Jordan Oliver. A Zain/Ridge match will be fresh in our minds after Final X, so how about something different? Oliver said he wanted this to happen after his win at RAF 08 and why not? These two have a past history and are legends from Pennsylvania.

Antrell Taylor: Austin O’Connor

Antrell Taylor stepped up on short notice and took on perhaps the favorite to make the 2026 world team, Zain Retherford. He also acquitted himself well, so that should count for something from the RAF brass. How about a matchup with a fellow national champion at 157 lbs - Austin O’Connor. O’Connor participated in RAF once, with a loss to Austin Gomez at the RAF 02 card. I’m sure O’Connor is very familiar with Taylor, as his Illinois pupil, Kannon Webster, met Taylor twice during the 2025-26 season.

Jason Nolf: DJ Hamiti

This might be the time for a title shot for Jason Nolf. He’s reeled off four straight wins in RAF, with the last two being pretty impressive showings against active collegiate stars. His only loss is to Evan Wick, at RAF 01, the same opponent Hamiti beat for the middleweight belt. It’s been a couple of shows since Hamiti has competed (RAF 04), so it’s probably time for a title defense.

Christopher Minto: Keegan O’Toole/Bekzod Abdurakhmanov loser

Christopher Minto’s performance against Jason Nolf probably turned some heads. Minto was fun to watch and in a very competitive matchup with Nolf. He needs to come back soon. On RAF 10, there’s a middleweight match between Keegan O’Toole and Bekzod Abdurakhmanov. The winner is probably closer to the title hunt; however, we'd need something for the loser. It would be a great test to see exactly where Minto belongs in the middleweight heap.

Parker Keckeisen: Bo Nickal

This is what Parker Keckeisen said he wanted after his win Saturday night and I love it! I was wondering what to do with Keckeisen, as he has a win over Zahid Valencia and a loss to Kyle Dake. He’s squarely in the title hunt, but I wouldn’t want to run those rematches just yet - especially since he lost to Dake at the US Open. Nickal solves that problem and you could probably make it a title eliminator. I’m sure Keckeisen wants to be on the RAF 11 card in Milwaukee, so let’s book it!!!

Georgios Kougioumtsidis: Aeoden Sinclair

Once again, we’ve got a Wisconsin native who probably wants to compete on the RAF 11 show and since Aeoden Sinclair has a few months before the U20 World Championships, the timing is good. Sinclair already has a high-profile RAF win (Saipudinov), so an opponent like Kougioumtsidis isn’t out of the range of possibilities. I also feel like stylistically this could be lots of fun.

Real Woods: Andrew Alirez

Of course, with a pending Final X matchup versus Bo Bassett, this one stands to change. Both have plenty of RAF history and maybe an angle emerges from that series. If there’s nothing with Bassett, how about Woods’ NCAA finals opponent Andrew Alirez? Alirez has a matchup with Woods’ former Iowa teammate Jaydin Eierman on the RAF 10 card, so that is pending a victory. I do think it’s only a matter of time before we see Woods/Alirez.

Ibrahim Ilyasov: Brock Hardy

In early May, RAF announced that Brock Hardy was a new signing. How about he gets a first match against Illyasov? After wrestling for the featherweight title, Ilyasov gets another shot at competing, right?

Merab Dvalishvili: Henry Cejudo

This was supposed to be the main event at RAF 08 and Henry Cejudo pulled out the night of the event with an injury. Let’s do this one as soon as possible. In his post-match interview, Merab really showed his affection for RAF and competing more in the organization, so whenever Cejudo is ready, reschedule the match. Perhaps one of the centerpieces of the RAF 12 anniversary show?

Frankie Edgar: Gray Maynard

Frankie Edgar rose to prominence in the MMA world during his three-match series with Gray Maynard. Each competitor won once, with a draw thrown in the middle. I have no idea whether Maynard would be interested in this. He’s 47 and eight years removed from his last UFC fight. Perhaps this takes place in Maynard’s adopted hometown of Las Vegas on the RAF 14 show?

Kyle Snyder: Arash Yoshida

During his post-match interview, Kyle Snyder wasn’t overly excited about calling anyone out (he said he’ll face anyone); however, he did mention Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Any wrestling fan would be excited about that potential match, and I would love it if RAF went that way. I’ll also talk about Sadualev later (hint). If Sadulaev isn’t in the picture, how about one of his toughest opponents over the last year, Arash Yoshida? Yoshida defeated Snyder on criteria in Albania last year, but Snyder turned the tables in the world semifinals. How about another round between these two?

Givi Matcharasvhili: Trent Hidlay

In his two RAF matches, Givi Matcharashvili has faced both of the 97 kg Final X participants for 2026 - beating Stephen Buchanan and losing to Kyle Snyder. What about someone else that ilk that has competed at light heavyweight in RAF, Trent Hidlay? Hidlay has two RAF wins (Patrick Downey/Jacob Cardenas), so he is probably due an opponent who is more credentialed worldwide. There was a distinct size advantage between Snyder and Matcharashvili, so Hidlay might present a different opportunity (or challenge) for the Georgian.

Colby Covington: See above with Arman Tsarukyan

Chris Weidman: Patrick Downey

Of the older MMA fighters on RAF’s cards, Chris Weidman has shown that he can go out and put on a good show and compete with the younger set. Why not someone like Patrick Downey? Downey has a match with Zac Braunagel on the RAF 10 card, so I think this is predicated on Downey getting a win.

Gable Steveson: Abdulrashid Sadulaev

This was one of Gable’s post-match call out’s (Amir Zare being the other) and I love it. Snyder/Sadualev is great, but we’ve seen it a handful of times. There’s plenty of uncertainty surrounding how a Gable/Sadulaev bout might play out. Also, the certainty that Gable spoke of this match makes me think it’s already been considered and planned. This would be a massive matchup and a great potential main event for either the RAF 12 anniversary show or the RAF 14 Vegas card.

Aleksandr Romanov: Trent Hillger

This poor Moldovan fella has taken on Mason Parris and Gable Steveson in his two RAF matches. He needs to get another booking just for being a good team player. On the RAF 07 card, we saw Wyatt Hendrickson against Trent Hillger in a Final X 2025 rematch. How about getting Romanov and Hillger together? I suppose Hillger is still a significant favorite, but he gets a more winnable match after falling to the champ.

We are less than 12 hours away from RAF 09! The organization continues to build momentum and each show seems to have better matchups and action than the last. The RAF 08 show will be hard to top, but the crowd in Arlington, Texas’ College Park Center hopes that’s the case. There will be plenty of opportunities on tonight’s card that will feature a pair of title matches, plus the return of Gable Steveson and much more.

Here’s what to expect from a star-studded RAF 09 card:

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mugzy Bulljunk

One of the early stars of RAF has been UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan. He is already 4-0 in RAF heading into this match and has another one scheduled for RAF 10. Tsarukyan is coming off a 13-1 victory over Urijah Faber in the main event of RAF 08. Mugzy has been a major promoter of RAF on his social media feeds and holds a 1-2 record with the organization. The pair has a common opponent, Georgio Poullas, who teched Mugzy but lost twice to Tsarukyan.

Women’s Catchweight - Lucia Yepez Guzman vs. Cam Guerin

The reigning world silver medalist Lucia Yepez Guzman returns for her second match in RAF. During her debut, she pulled away from young American star Everest Leydecker in an 11-4 victory. Since then, Yepez Guzman has won her fourth career Senior Pan-American championship. Guerin is fresh off a record-setting collegiate career wrestling for McKendree. She captured five individual national titles and helped lead the Bearcats to a 2026 NCAA team title - the first awarded by the NCAA for women’s wrestling. Guerin has competed at the U20 World Championships on two occasions and represented the USA at the Senior Pan-American Championships twice.

Lightweight (155 lbs)- Bajrang Punia vs. Ridge Lovett

Three-time world medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Bajrang Punia returns to RAF. Punia competed on the RAF 01 card against Yianni Diakomihalis and lost a close bout for the lightweight title. With almost a year’s worth of training under his belt, we’ll see if this version of Punia is closer to the one that was known as one of the most exciting wrestlers in the world. Facing Punia is Ridge Lovett. It seems like a formality that Lovett would compete for an organization that emphasizes individual personalities, since he is one of the best in the sport. Lovett is currently prepping for a Final X contest with Zain Retherford after winning the 2026 US Open. Lovett at the Open looked as good as he’s ever looked, putting up a boatload of points on collegiate rival Caleb Henson. This matchup could provide as much action as any on the card tonight.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Zain Retherford vs. Antrell Taylor

The aforementioned Retherford is apparently back and chasing world medals and a RAF title. Retherford came back for the World Team Trials and grinded his way to a title, and a Final X date with Lovett, by defeating Henson and 2026 NCAA champion, Landon Robideau. Prior to the WTT’s, Retherford had not competed since the 2024 Olympic Games. Retherford’s opponent changed a couple of times, but settled on 2025 Nebraska national champion Antrell Taylor. Taylor was a Pan-American U20 champion in 2023 and is a three-time All-American for the Huskers. Obviously, a bout against the 2023 world champion Retherford is a huge step up in competition for Taylor.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Parker Keckeisen vs. Georgios Kougioumtsidis

So far in RAF, it’s been nothing but world champions for Parker Keckeisen. Even so, he’s managed a 1-1 record - shocking Zahid Valencia in his debut and losing to Kyle Dake his last time out. That trend continues with 2025 world champion Georgios Kougioumtsidis. The Greek star won his world title last year with a close victory over Penn State star Levi Haines in the gold medal match. That came at 79 kg and Kougioumtsidis has been competing at 86 kg this season. Thus far, his results haven’t been as spectacular with a seventh-place finish at the Zagreb Open and ninth at the European Championships. Keckeisen actually won that Zagreb Open bracket, though the two did not meet. In the finals, Keckeisen took out Georgian world silver medalist Vladimeri Gamkrelidze.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf vs. Christopher Minto

The third wrestler on this card with Nebraska Cornhusker roots is Christopher Minto. Like Taylor, Minto is also facing an opponent who put together a legendary career at Penn State. Minto got his share of mat time against Penn State during the 2025-26 NCAA campaign. Three of his six losses on the year came to Nittany Lion Levi Haines, including 2-1 matches in the Big Ten and NCAA finals. Minto has been a great find for the Nebraska staff, rising from a backup to All-American as a freshman and making the jump to the national finals as a sophomore. Now, he’ll have to contend with Jason Nolf. Nolf was in action on the last RAF card and put together an impressive 11-2 victory over Joey Blaze. Blaze was game, but Nolf generally had an answer for everything that was thrown at him. We’ve seen Nolf evolve back to his Olympic Trials form during his RAF career - a fun, but sloppy loss to Evan Wick in RAF 01, compared to the awesome performance against Blaze last time out.

Featherweight Championship (145 lbs) - Real Woods vs. Ibragim Ilyasov

There has been plenty of chaos surrounding the featherweight championship in the short history of RAF. Real Woods won the belt at RAF 01, but dropped it to Jordan Oliver at RAF 03. Since that was an extremely close contest, the two ran it back at RAF 04 and Oliver missed weight and had to surrender the belt. Now, it looks like the belt could be awarded again tonight. Woods turned in a solid performance at RAF 08 when he held off a game Anthony Ashnault, 7-2. Since Woods is a 2025 world medalist, he has not had to compete at at the US Open or WTT’s and is waiting for a Final X match with Bo Bassett.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Merab Dvalishvili vs. Frankie Edgar

Finally, we get the RAF debut of UFC star Merab Dvalishvili. Merab was supposed to headline RAF 08 against Henry Cejudo; however, Cejudo pulled out late due to an injury. He is one of the most famous MMA fighters in the world; having successfully defended the UFC bantamweight title on three occasions. It will be a clash of generations as he collides with Frankie Edgar. The former Clarion wrestler made a name for himself in the UFC as someone who was initially an underdog, but always rose to the challenge and turned in nine “Fight of the Night” performances. Edgar also won and successfully defended the UFC lightweight title. From a wrestling standpoint, it’s hard to say what to expect here, but generally the younger, active athlete should have the advantage.

Lightweight Championship (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder vs. Givi Matcharashvili

One of the enduring moments thus far in RAF wrestling was the comeback from Kyle Snyder on the RAF 08 card. Down 6-0 against world champion Rizabek Aitmukhan, Snyder stormed back and broke the Kazakh wrestler to win 12-6. The Philly crowd was deafening as Captain America put the final touches on his comeback victory. So far in RAF, Snyder has posted wins over Aitmukhan and Olympic gold medalist Akhmed Tazhudinov. It gets no easier on Saturday night with an opponent like Givi Matcharashvili. Matcharashvili is a two-time world bronze medalist and a 2024 Olympic silver medalist. Despite this, he and Snyder have not met very often. It appears as if their most recent meeting was at the Hungarian Ranking Series Event in 2023 - a match that Snyder won by a 3-2 margin. A few months away from the World Championships and likely not in top condition, we’ll see if Matcharashvili can avoid wilting in this unique atmosphere like Aitmukhan did in April.

Catchweight - Colby Covington vs. Chris Weidman

Former UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Colby Covington has already been a frequent RAF competitor and a vocal promoter of the organization. He’s racked up wins over Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis during his first two RAF appearances. Like his matchup with Rockhold, expect Covington to be at a significant size disadvantage against former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman. Before transitioning to the world of cage fighting, Weidman earned All-American honors in 2006 and 2007 for Hofstra.

Heavyweight (UNL) - Gable Steveson vs. Alexandr Romanov

The main event and highlight of the evening is the return to the mat for Gable Steveson. Since falling in the 2025 NCAA finals, Steveson has turned his attention to MMA and has impressed with a 3-0 professional record. He’s quickly become one of the best heavyweight prospects currently in MMA. With some competitors, there might be some rust, but with Gable’s age and the proximity to his full-time wrestling career, that shouldn’t be an issue.

With all due respect, Steveson’s opponent, Alexandr Romanov comes in as a massive underdog. Romanov debuted in RAF at the second show and took on Mason Parris. Parris cruised to an 11-0 victory in that contest. I’d expect a similar result from Steveson. This matchup should be one that eases Steveson back onto the mat, yet gives fans a chance to see the Olympic champion do the things offensively that make him special. With a great group of heavyweights in the mix with RAF, the future matchmaking could be a lot of fun.

RAF 10 is starting to come together as the organization released a pair of matches for its June 13th card in St. Louis. A pair of Olympic medalists will clash as Sebastian Rivera takes on Haji Aliyev at the lightweight classification. In the light heavyweight division, former world team member Hayden Zillmer will face Rizabek Aitmukhan.

Rivera was a four-time NCAA All-American wrestling for Northwestern and Rutgers. Rivera finished third in the nation on two occasions and also captured a pair of Big Ten championships. During international competition, Rivera has represented Puerto Rico. In 2023, Rivera made the world finals at 65 kg. A year later, he came home from the Paris Olympics with a bronze medal after a wild win over Mongolia’s Tulga Tumur-Ochir.

His opponent, Aliyev, is no stranger to the Olympic Games himself. He was a three-time Olympian for Azerbaijan and a two-time medalist - taking bronze in 2016 and silver in 2020. Aliyev is also a three-time world champion at 61 kg, winning in 2014, 2015, and 2017. He also captured European Championships at three different weights.

This is the RAF debut for both Aliyev and Rivera.

Zillmer was a 2015 NCAA All-American for North Dakota State, who has gone on to have a long and decorated career on the freestyle circuit. He has three appearances in Final X at three different weights. He suffered losses to world champions J’Den Cox (92 kg) and Kyle Snyder (97 kg), but fought through a tough three-match series to defeat Nick Gwiazdowski to make the 2022 world team at 125 kg.

Zillmer was slated to appear on an earlier RAF card, but his match was scrapped.

Aitmukhan won a Senior world title at 92 kg in 2023 while he was only 19 years old. A year later, he captured gold at the U20 and U23 World Championships. He is also a three-time Asian silver medalist.

In his RAF debut, Aitmukhan was on the wrong end of one of the organization’s most memorable bouts. He held a 6-0 lead on Kyle Snyder in the second period of their RAF 08 bout. Snyder ended up running him down and coming back for a 12-6 victory.

The RAF 10 card now looks like this:

Middleweight: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Tony Ferguson

Lightweight: Aaron Pico vs. Lance Palmer

Lightweight: Sebastian Rivera vs. Haji Aliyev

Light Heavyweight: Hayden Zillmer vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan

Last week, RAF announced a number of very notable signings, a spree that included an announcement of Aliyev’s inking.

The other recent signings include:

Ernazar Akmataliev - 3x world medalist from Kyrgyzstan

Asu Almabayev - flyweight contender in the UFC from Kazakhstan

Yonger Bastida - 2x NCAA All-American and 2026 NCAA finalist

Ben Davino - 2026 NCAA finalist and 2026 Final X participant

Brock Hardy - 4x NCAA All-American

Arsen Harutyunyan - 4x World Medalist and 2x U23 World Champion from Armenia

Rei Higuchi - 2x Olympic medalist (1,2), 2x World Medalist

Kotaro Kiyooka - 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2025 World Silver Medalist

Dauren Kurugliev - 2024 Olympic Bronze Medalist representing Greece

Max McEnelly - 2x NCAA All-American and 2026 NCAA Champion

Magomed Ramazanov - 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist representing Bulgaria

Daichi Takatani - 2024 Olympic Silver Medalist, 2023 World Bronze Medalist

With just over a month remaining until Real American Freestyle’s RAF 09 card, the organization made a trio of new match announcements on Tuesday to help fill out its card.

The matches are as follows: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mugzy Bulljunk (middleweight - 175 lbs), Parker Keckeisen vs. Georgio Kougioumtsidis (cruiserweight - 190 lbs), and Ridge Lovett vs. Bajrang Punia (lightweight - 155 lbs).

Tsarukyan has been the biggest mainstream star from the first eight RAF cards. He’s 4-0 in the organization with wins over Lance Palmer, Georgio Poullas (x2), and Urijah Faber. Tsarukyan has garnered the attention of non-wrestling fans during his post-match brawl against Poullas and their subsequent rematch, as well as for running Faber off the stage at RAF 08. The matchup with Mugzy doesn’t really align with typical matchmaking practices, as he’s 1-2 with RAF. Both losses have come via tech and one of them was to Poullas.

The other two matches are interesting for the wrestling diehards and feature a young American star against an exciting foreign opponent.

Keckeisen just fell to Kyle Dake in the 86 kg US Open finals. Since Dake will move on to Final X against Zahid Valencia, the 2026 world team is out of the picture for Keckeisen. We might see him on multiple cards over the next few months. Keckeisen also lost to Dake in RAF, but famously debuted with a surprising 10-2 victory over the returning world champion Valencia.

Opposing Keckeisen is another 2025 world champion, Kougioumtsidis. The Greek star won his world title at 79 kg, beating Levi Haines 3-2 in the gold medal matchup. That marked Kougioumtsidis’ first world medal; however, he’s been in the mix during the previous tournaments. Kougioumtsidis lost in a bronze medal match in 2023 and was seventh in 2021.

The other matchup features Lovett making his RAF debut. The 2025 NCAA champion secured a berth in Final X on Saturday evening after a wild 14-12 victory over his NCAA finals opponent, Caleb Henson. Lovett will wait for a Final X opponent to emerge from the World Team Trials. Lovett didn’t compete internationally much during his collegiate career at Nebraska; however, he did enter the Albanian Ranking Series event earlier this year.

Lovett will take on the Indian star Punia. Punia, better known by his first name Bajrang, took part in RAF’s debut show, where he fell 5-1 to Yianni Diakomihalis. Bajrang was a bronze medalist at the 2020 Olympic Games and earned four Senior world medals between 2013-2022. He is also an eight-time Asian medalist, with two of those being gold medals.

In addition, RAF’s social media posting stated that the winner of Lovett/Punia gets a shot at the lightweight title. Since Diakomihalis has been dealing with injuries and another contender, Austin Gomez, retired, the belt has been vacant. With another high-profile lightweight bout on the card (Zain Retherford vs. Elnazar Akhmataliev), you have to wonder if the winners will clash for the championship.

With these three matches on tap, RAF 09 now has ten matches that have been announced publicly. They typically have 12. The main event on this card features the RAF debut of Gable Steveson. He’ll take on Moldovan heavyweight Alexandr Romanov.

Here is the current card as of Wednesday morning:

Heavyweight (UNL): Gable Steveson vs. Alexsandr Romanov

Catchweight: Colby Covington vs. Chris Weidman

Light Heavyweight Championship (215 lbs): Kyle Snyder vs. Givi Matcharashvili

Women’s Middleweight Championship (150 lbs): Kennedy Blades vs. Alexis Gomez

Lightweight (155 lbs): Zain Retherford vs. Elnazar Akhmataliev

Women’s Catchweight: Lucia Guzman Yepez vs. Cam Guerin

Lightweight (155 lbs): Merab Dvalishvili vs. Frankie Edgar

Middleweight (175 lbs): Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mugzy Bulljunk

Cruiserweight (190 lbs): Parker Keckeisen vs. Georgio Kougioumtsidis 

Lightweight (155 lbs): Ridge Lovett vs. Bajrang Punia

Another RAF event is in the books after Saturday’s RAF 08 event concluded in Philly. From top to bottom, it was a fun event that set the stage for plenty of future action. With Saturday’s results, we thought it would be fun to play matchmaker and suggest a bout for each wrestler that took the mat.

In doing this, we tried to be realistic with the matchups. We also have the US Open, World Team Trials, and Final X over the next few months, so we didn’t want to make matches that are likely to be contested at those events. For the most part, we also tried to limit potential matchups to wrestlers on RAF’s roster, though there are a couple of exceptions.

Which matches are your favorites?

Arman Tsarukyan: Colby Covington

They talked about it after the main event and Covington came out on the mat. Currently, he’s penciled in as the co-main event against Chris Weidman at RAF 09. I think Tsarukyan/Covington probably draws more interest than the Weidman match.

Urijah Faber: Clay Guida

If Urijah Faber continues to compete, how about someone closer to his age and size in Clay Guida? I don’t believe these two have ever fought. In their primes, they were both high-energy fan favorites. Pairing the two could feature some fireworks.

Kyle Snyder: Givi Matcharashvili

There are a couple of interesting domestic matches that you could make for Kyle Snyder; however, they might occur at Final X, so we’ll continue the international route for him. Olympic silver medalist and two-time world medalist Givi Matcharashvili fits the bill. He and Snyder have met before, but not too frequently. From what I can tell, it appears as if their last match came at the Hungarian Ranking Series event in 2023. Snyder won that 3-2. Matcharashvili also has RAF win over Stephen Buchanan under his belt (though Buchanan got injured and was ineffective late).

Rizabek Aitmukhan: Stephen Buchanan

Speaking of Buchanan, how about him against Snyder’s Saturday night opponent, Aitmukhan. Both are tall and long 97 kg’ers. A close match against Matcharashvili is a very positive sign for Buchanan, who hasn’t wrestled extensively in freestyle. Give him another test against the former world champion from Kazakhstan.

Zahid Valencia: Bo Nickal

If we’re focused on belts and living in a world where nothing outside of RAF matters, then give Valencia a shot at Kyle Dake. Realistically, the two probably meet at Final X, so I’m not sure you “have” to do that match right away. Bo Nickal’s name came up in Valencia’s post-match interview. I don’t think any fans would say no to that.

Aeoden Sinclair: Nate Jackson

With two RAF matches since the NCAA Tournament and the US Open looming, Aeoden Sinclair has developed a reputation for wrestling anyone, anywhere. Before him, a guy with that same label was Nate Jackson. Like Sinclair, Jackson has a 1-1 record in RAF with a win over Carter Starocci and a loss to Valencia. This could be an interesting stylistic matchup with the tall, long Jackson attacking from space and the shorter Sinclair working in closer quarters.

Shamil Sharipov: Mason Parris

Typically, with matchmaking, you want to put athletes coming off a win against each other and those dealing with losses against each other. I’ll make an exception here with Sharipov, who was very impressive against Tony Cassioppi and Parris, who lost a title match to Wyatt Hendrickson. Putting these two offensive-minded big men together could result in lots of action and scoring.

Tony Cassioppi: Yonger Bastida

We’ll go out on a limb and say that Yonger Bastida is interested in competing in RAF. If so, what better way to throw him into the fire than a Iowa/Iowa State matchup? Cassioppi is coming off two losses via fall, but he has brought the action and looked impressive, at times, in his loss to Akhmed Tazhudinov.

Helen Maroulis: Mariia Vynnyk

Here’s the thing about matchmaking for Helen Maroulis. At this point in time, short of her jumping up a few weights, I don’t think there are intriguing domestic opponents for her. She mentioned in the postmatch interview, potentially some MMA opponents. That’s fine, I suppose. The opponent I identified, Mariia Vynnyk, is an up-and-comer from Ukraine who was a world silver medalist in 2025. She also teched Alexis Janiak in the U23 world finals.

Alexis Janiak: Cristelle Rodriguez

There are a lot of different ways you could go here for Janiak. She’s faced a lot of high-profile opponents during the collegiate season at Aurora and at the U23 Trials. How about a catchweight match against 55 kg 2025 World Team member and three-time NAIA Wrestler of the Year Cristelle Rodriguez?

Real Woods: Andrew Alirez

The featherweight title is still vacant and, at some point, they have to create a championship match. What about a rematch of the 2023 NCAA finals between Real Woods and Andrew Alirez? Woods is coming off a solid win over Anthony Ashnault. Alirez was also impressive in his RAF debut.

Anthony Ashnault: Beau Bartlett

So we weren’t really sure what to expect from Ashnault, but he acquitted himself well against our returning world bronze medalist. His last-ditch flying squirrel effort made the score look a little bit more lopsided than it actually was. What about a match featuring Ashnault and Beau Bartlett? Bartlett is coming off a loss to Jordan Oliver, which actually appeared to be a win before the new step out rules were factored in.

Jason Nolf: Tajmuraz Salkazanov

We were supposed to see this matchup at RAF 07 before Salkazanov pulled out late in the game. I still want to see it. Against Joey Blaze, Nolf looked very close to the wrestler who made the 2024 Olympic Trials finals. Salkazanov is still in his prime and was a 2025 world medalist. Nolf mentioned DJ Hamiti and the middleweight belt in his post-match interview. That obviously makes sense too, but we might see it at the Open.

Joey Blaze: Evan Wick

Blaze lost to Nolf on Saturday night, but showed he belongs in RAF and could put up some points against a different opponent. Wick was one of the stars of RAF 01, with his exciting win over Nolf. I could see this one being a back-and-forth affair.

Vladimer Khinchegashvili: Pat Lugo

Pat Lugo made an appearance on RAF 05 in his hometown and cruised to a win over Johnni DiJulius. Khinchegashvili also defeated DiJulius on Saturday, but it was more of an even matchup. Lugo is younger and closer to his prime; however, Khinchegashvili is capable of pulling off some magic, so this could be fun.

Johnni DiJulius: Mike Van Brill

These two both suffered losses on Saturday, but neither was clearly outclassed. As the announcing team alluded to, Mike Van Brill was tougher than most expected. DiJulius put up some points on the Olympic champion Khinchegashvili. Why not put these two together and see what happens?

Lance Palmer: Dylan Palacio

I had a hard time with Palmer because I’m not sure what direction RAF wants to go here. He debuted against a wrestler in his prime and took a tough “L”. Next, he lost to the MMA fighter Tsarukyan. On Saturday, he beat a much younger, but less credentialed opponent, in Cayden Henschel. How about some real promotional fun with DiJulius’ camp partner Dylan Palacio - the originator of the Homeless Wrestler gimmick. There would be some fun sound bytes in the lead up to the match and potentially some good action.

Cayden Henschel: Bubba Jenkins

Bubba Jenkins went from the announcing table to the mat with a RAF 06 matchup versus David Carr. Jenkins actually got the first points and showed some flashes of why he was one of the more exciting wrestlers of his era. Henschel just wrestled one of the guys from that era. What about a match with Bubba?

Jordan Oliver: Zain Retherford

In his post-match interview, Jordan Oliver stated he’d prefer to move up in weight and compete at lightweight. He also mentioned another match with Zain Retherford. Let’s not overthink this. Oliver/Retherford sounds great. Obviously, Retherford has to get past Elnazar Akhmataliev on RAF 09.

Lucas Byrd: Andrii Yatsenko

One of the more surprising moments of RAF, thus far, was Andrii Yatsenko and his win via fall over Spencer Lee. We haven’t seen much from the bantanweight class yet, but with that win, Yatsenko has to be in the title conversation. How about a match with him and Lucas Byrd? Byrd has a good Greco background and Yatsenko was aggressively looking for upperbody attacks, so we might see someone get thrown here.

Darian Cruz: Matt Ramos

I like this matchup because both of these wrestlers compete internationally under different banners. Cruz represents Puerto Rico and Ramos represents the Philippines. That means that we won’t see this match at the US Open and only if they attend the same Ranking Series events or potentially at the World Championships. These two are also responsible for a pair of the top NCAA upsets over the last decade. 

As has been the case with the recent Real American Freestyle (RAF) cards, there was a little bit for everyone. Ultimately, it seemed that most fans came away with something positive from the event, which is remarkable, given that the main event was cancelled.

A few hours before the action was slated to take place, Henry Cejudo was removed due to an injury. He was scheduled to take on UFC star Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of the evening. Others stepped up for a potential match with Dvalishvili, but no match occurred.

The non-wrestler who has garnered the most attention through the first seven events continued to do so Saturday night in Philadelphia. Arman Tsarukyan and Urijah Faber were elevated to the main event with Cejudo’s injury. An otherwise easy win for Tsarukyan was highlighted by a wild sequence in which Tsarukyan had a single leg and drove Faber completely off the stage and onto the floor. The collision occurred right next to the announcing team. It appears as if no one was injured and Tsarukyan finished his 13-1 technical fall early in the third period.

For the wrestling purists, the co-main event between world champions Kyle Snyder and Rizabek Aitmukhan proved to be one of the most memorable matches in RAF’s short history. In a light heavyweight title match, Aitmukhan jumped out to an early lead and led Snyder 6-0 late into the second period. As he’s proven time and time again, Snyder can never be counted out of a match, and his pace and heavy hands tend to wear on opponents. That happened in Philly as Aitmukhan faded fast during the third period. Snyder scored 12 unanswered points, 11 in the third period, to retain his belt. As the comeback was in progress, Snyder received some of the loudest applause showered on an RAF wrestler, to date.

Snyder wasn’t the only American gold medal winner in action on Saturday night. Women’s bantamweight champion and fellow Maryland native, Helen Maroulis, took the mat for the second time in RAF. Unlike Snyder, there was no drama or crowd-pleasing comeback. Maroulis exerted her dominance early and often and only needed less than three minutes to rack up five takedowns on collegiate champion Alexis Janiak before securing a 10-0 tech.

The night got started with a bantamweight matchup between collegiate national champions Lucas Byrd and Darian Cruz. Byrd got the 2-2 win in a tactical affair that didn’t include many offensive outbursts.

Jordan Oliver remained unbeaten with a 5-0 victory over Mike Van Brill. The highlight of the bout was Oliver lifting Van Brill off the mat to finish a four-point move at the edge. In his post-match interview, Oliver stated he probably should move up to lightweight (155 lbs) and mentioned a rematch of a 2022 Final X series that Zain Retherford won in three matches.

Veteran Lance Palmer got off the schneid with his first RAF victory in three tries,a  3-2 win over Cayden Henschel. Palmer controlled the final two exchanges of the bout from a front headlock position to claim his win.

In one of the more entertaining matches of the evening, 2016 Olympic gold medalist Vladimer Khinchegashvili outlasted Johnni DiJulius during an 8-5 win. DiJulius proved to be game, but Khinchegashvili pulled out some offense that reminded fans how he was one of the more exciting lightweights of his generation.

Jason Nolf wasted no time in getting to his offense against Joey Blaze. Right off the opening whistle, Nolf got in on a leg and drove Blaze out of bounds for a step-out point. This was a strange match that seemed to raise the stock for both individuals. Though Nolf won, 11-2, Blaze had his moments. Nolf showed why he won three NCAA titles and was an Olympic Trials finalist in 2024. He should be in the mix for the welterweight title and perhaps a berth on the Senior World Team if that’s the direction he chooses.

After losing a pair of tight matches to Oliver on step-out points, Real Woods got back on the winning track with a 7-2 victory over Anthony Ashnault. The margin of victory looked greater on paper than it actually was. Woods got four points late in the bout as Ashnault tried a “flying squirrel” out of desperation and gave up four points. I’m not sure if fans knew what to expect from Ashnault, but he acquitted himself well.

The RAF heavyweight division is already stacked with champion Wyatt Hendrickson, world medalist Mason Parris, and newly-signed Gable Steveson. Another contender threw his hat into the ring on Saturday evening. 2025 World bronze medalist Shamil Sharipov of Bahrain made his case with a win via fall over Tony Cassioppi. Sharipov displayed some unorthodox, but effective and entertaining offense in the win.

As stated in the post-match interview, 2025 World Champion Zahid Valencia showed “there’s levels to this,” during his 8-2 win over Aeoden Sinclair. With two matches under his belt since the completion of the NCAA season and the US Open looming, Sinclair has shown he’ll take on anyone at any time. That being said, Valencia is rounding into world championship form nicely. After losing his RAF debut, Valencia has won his last three matches.

All night, the RAF announcing crew teased a “major surprise announcement” which turned out to be a nicely produced introduction of new signee Khamzat Chimaev, the current UFC middleweight champion. Chimaev started wrestling in the Chechen Republic in Russia and later won three national titles in Sweden after emigrating with his family. He’ll certainly draw more eyes from outside of the wrestling world and could make for some interesting matches.

Next up for RAF is the 09 card from Dallas, Texas. Gable Steveson is slated to make his debut during the main event against Moldova’s Alexander Romanov. 

Full Results from RAF 08

Middleweight bout (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan over Urijah Faber  13-1

Light Heavyweight Championship bout (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder over Rizabek Aitmukhan  12-6

Cruiserweight bout (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia over Aeoden Sinclair  8-2

Heavyweight bout (UNL) - Shamil Sharipov over Tony Cassioppi  Fall 1:45

Women’s Bantamweight Championship (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis over Alexis Janiak  10-0

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Real Woods over Anthony Ashnault  7-2

Middleweight bout (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf over Joey Blaze  11-2

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Vladimer Khinchegashvili over Johnni DiJulius  8-5

Lightweight bout (155 lbs) - Lance Palmer over Cayden Henschel  3-2

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver over Mike Van Brill  5-0

Bantamweight bout (135 lbs) - Lucas Byrd over Darian Cruz  2-2

Tonight, RAF heads back to Pennsylvania for its second stop in the Keystone State. The first was on Penn State’s campus in State College, this RAF 08 card will take place in the fighting city of Philadelphia. It seems like we’ve said it for the previous two cards, but this might be the best one from a wrestling purist's standpoint.

RAF has seemed to strike a good balance between matches for entertainment (those that might draw attention from outside the wrestling community) and quality wrestling action.

A staggering four Olympic gold medalists are set to compete on this card - three Americans and one Georgian. Two of the American gold medal winners are also current RAF titleholders and will put their belts on the line on Saturday night. The other American gold medalist will headline the card.

Here’s what to look for once the action gets underway on RAF 08.

RAF 08 will take place at 8pm (Eastern) and can be seen on FoxNation.

Lightweight bout (155 lbs) - Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo

Since the idea of having current/past MMA stars compete in RAF, Merab Dvalishvili has been one of the names that have been mentioned the most as someone fans want to see. He’ll make his debut on tonight’s card. Dvalishvili won the UFC bantamweight championship in 2024 and defended it successfully on three occasions before losing to Peter Yan in December. A former UFC bantamweight champion will oppose him in Henry Cejudo. These two met in the octagon just over two years ago and Dvalishvili won via unanimous decision. With a 2008 Olympic gold medal on his resume, Cejudo obviously has the edge in wrestling pedigree. Cejudo headlined the RAF 06 with an 11-0 tech over Urijah Faber.

Middleweight bout (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber

Arman Tsarukyan has been a RAF regular as this will be the third consecutive card where he was featured. His RAF 06 matchup with Georgio Poullas was the most memorable appearance, as it sparked a large, on-mat brawl. He won that bout, as well as a rematch on RAF 07 against Poullas. Now, he’ll face UFC Hall of Famer, Faber, who has conceded that Tsarukyan should have a significant size advantage. He’s also 17 years younger!

Light Heavyweight Championship bout (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan

Kyle Snyder is not playing around with his RAF matches. Before RAF 07, Snyder voiced his preference for taking on quality Senior level opponents rather than MMA fighters. Less than a month after defeating Akhmed Tazhudinov, Snyder continues to put his money where his mouth is, with a bout against 2023 Senior world champion Rizabek Aitmukhan. Since winning his world title at the age of 18, Aitmukhan hasn’t had the same level of success at the Senior level; however, he has won world titles at the U20 and U23 divisions. Snyder is less than a year removed from his fourth world title.

Cruiserweight bout (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia vs. Aeoden Sinclair

Let’s give the young star Aeoden Sinclair some credit. This will be his second RAF match since the conclusion of the 2026 NCAA Championships, where he took third place at 184 lbs. On RAF 07, Sinclair debuted with a solid 9-4 win over Khidir Saipudinov. Now, the competition gets much more fierce with 2025 world champion Zahid Valencia. Valencia was stunned in his RAF debut by Parker Keckeisen, but rebounded with back-to-back wins over Nate Jackson and Mahmoud Sebie. With Final X right around the corner, Valencia should be rounding into top form.

Heavyweight bout (UNL) - Tony Cassioppi vs. Shamil Sharipov

Tony Cassioppi’s RAF debut turned out to be one of the best matches from the organization thus far. Though he ultimately fell via fall to Tazhudinov, Cassioppi and the Bahraini Olympic gold medalist traded scores back and forth. Cassioppi finished three takedowns and even got a set of exposure points.  Now, Cassioppi has another opponent representing Bahrain, Shamil Sharipov. Less than a week ago, Sharipov earned a silver medal at the Asian Championships. In 2025, he was a world bronze medalist at 125 kg.

Women’s Bantamweight Championship (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis vs. Alexis Janiak

RAF’s Philly location could probably be considered a home match for a couple of competitors on this card, Maryland native Helen Maroulis being one of them. Maroulis made her only RAF appearance on the 02 card in State College, where she blanked Canada’s Samantha Stewart, 6-0. Next up for the four-time world champion and Olympic gold medal winner is rising star Alexis Janiak. Janiak is a collegiate national champion for Aurora and has medaled twice at the U20 World level and once at U23’s.

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Real Woods vs. Anthony Ashnault

Featherweight mainstay and title contender Real Woods is back for his fourth RAF match and is looking for a good win to put him back into a championship bout. The 2025 world bronze medalist lost a pair of closely-contested, but odd matches to Jordan Oliver, and is looking to get back on the winning track. Opposing him is 2019 NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Rutgers, Anthony Ashnault. We’re not exactly sure what we’ll see from Ashnault; however, he has been coaching at the DI level for Princeton, so he’s been rolling with good competition.

Middleweight bout (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf vs. Joey Blaze

This might be the low-key match of the night contender. The three-time NCAA champion Nolf was one of the most exciting and most dangerous wrestlers of his era. He has a pair of wins under the RAF banner, but his competition wasn’t at the level of Joey Blaze. Blaze finished his junior year at Purdue less than a month ago and earned All-American honors for a second straight year. Last year, Blaze was third at the World Team Trials and lost a National Team wrestle-off at Final X to Jarrett Jacques. A month later, he won the Poland Open.

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Vladimer Khinchegashvili vs. Johnni DiJulius

On the RAF 07 card, 2016 Olympic Gold medalist Vladimer Khinchegashvili ran into high school phenom Bo Bassett and fell via technical fall. A matchup with Johnni DiJulius should be much more competitive for Khinchegashvili. In his prime, Khinchegashvili medaled at five straight World/Olympic events, including gold medals at both tournaments. DiJulius is 1-1 in RAF competition, having lost to Pat Lugo in his debut and winning against Conor Beebe, also at RAF 07.

Lightweight bout (155 lbs) - Lance Palmer vs. Cayden Henschel

Can we get a win for Lance Palmer? Palmer’s two previous RAF matchups have come against extremely tough competition - Austin Gomez and Arman Tsarukyan. Palmer was a four-time All-American, a Big Ten champion, and a national finalist for Ohio State from 2007-10. He is now an integral part of the backstage team at RAF. Cayden Henschel has been one of the more active RAF competitors with three matches already under his belt. He has two wins against one loss to Bassett. This should end up being the most competitive RAF match thus far for either wrestler. Palmer has the credentials and perhaps a size advantage, while Henschel has the youth.  

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver vs. Mike Van Brill

After missing weight at RAF 05, Jordan Oliver was stripped of his featherweight belt. He’s looking to make weight for a second straight appearance and post another win to get back in the title hunt. In his last outing, Oliver won a bout against Beau Bartlett that seemed controversial at the time, but featured the enforcement of new UWW boundary rules. His opponent is Mike Van Brill, a three-time NCAA qualifier for Rutgers. Van Brill finished third in the Big Ten at 149 lbs back in 2021.

Bantamweight bout (135 lbs) - Darian Cruz vs. Lucas Byrd

It’s been a couple of cards since we’ve seen a bantamweight match (RAF 05), so it’s good to see a matchup this time. Darian Cruz coaches across town at Penn and hails from Allentown, so he will certainly have a home-field advantage. Cruz wrestled in an Olympic bronze medal match in 2024 while representing Puerto Rico. He has also competed in three world championship events since 2022. Lucas Byrd just wrapped up his collegiate career for Illinois less than a month ago and is ready to hit the RAF mat. Byrd was only the second wrestler in Illinois history to earn All-American honors four times and he was a national champion in 2025. Since Byrd competed in college at 133 lbs and Cruz is one of the smaller 57 kg wrestlers, Byrd should have a size advantage. 

ST LOUIS, MO (April 16, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, today announced that RAF10 will take place June 13th, at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri.

The 10,600-seat venue — home to Saint Louis University — will host RAF’s first event in Missouri as the promotion continues a rapid run of sold-out events and expanding markets across the country.

“St. Louis is a wrestling city,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of RAF. “As we’ve built RAF, the goal has been simple — take the best athletes in the world and put them on a stage that matches their level. This is another step in that direction.”

RAF’s growth has accelerated quickly. In less than a year, the league has become a consistent driver of conversation across combat sports — delivering high-stakes matchups between Olympians, World champions, NCAA standouts, and crossover MMA stars.

That momentum is showing up everywhere:

• Sold-out arenas and record gates, including RAF07 in Tampa
• 250M+ social views per event across RAF, athletes, and the broader combat ecosystem
• 200B+ earned media impressions since launch in 2025

Each event has become a moment driven by matchups that can’t happen anywhere else and personalities that extend far beyond wrestling.

RAF’s roster reflects that shift. With more than 90 athletes representing over 15 different countries, including names familiar to MMA audiences, the league is building a global professional platform around a sport that has historically lacked one.

All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation. Matchups for RAF10 will be announced in the coming weeks. Pre-sale tickets go live tomorrow, Friday, April 17, with fans able to register now at realamericanfreestyle.com.

RAF returns this weekend with RAF08 in Philadelphia, headlined by Henry Cejudo vs Merab Dvalishvili (the full card can be found here), followed by RAF09 in Dallas on May 30, where Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson and former MMA champion Chris Weidman will make their RAF debuts.

Following RAF08, the league will also host the next edition of its wrestling clinic series, continuing its investment in youth participation and the future of the sport. RAF clinics give young athletes the opportunity to train directly with elite RAF talent, including Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo, two-time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver, NCAA All-American Real Woods, and RAF athletes Johnni DiJulius and Mugzy. Interested participants can register here.

For more information and updates, visit realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA on all platforms.

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level.

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

For more information, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.

DALLAS, TX (April 7, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, today announced that RAF09 will take place May 30th, at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

The 7,000-seat arena — home to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings and the University of Texas at Arlington — will host RAF’s first event in Texas, bringing one of the fastest-growing properties in combat sports to one of the country’s premier fight markets.

“We’re excited to bring RAF to Texas for the first time and to a market that lives and breathes big-time sports,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Real American Freestyle. “The momentum behind this league continues to build, and we’re delivering matchups you simply can’t get anywhere else. Dallas is going to feel that on May 30.”

The main event will feature Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson making his RAF debut in the heavyweight division against Alexandr Romanov. Romanov, nicknamed “King Kong” throughout his prolific MMA career, competed at RAF02 against Mason Parris. He has previously participated in both Senior World and European freestyle wrestling championships.

In the co-main event, Colby Covington will face Chris Weidman, as Weidman makes his RAF debut. Covington returns following his victory over Dillon Danis at RAF07 and looks to remain undefeated in the promotion. Weidman, a former UFC middleweight champion best known for dethroning Anderson Silva and defending his title three times, also brings a strong wrestling pedigree as a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and Hofstra Hall of Famer. The matchup brings two elite competitors back to their wrestling roots.

All RAF events stream exclusively on FOX Nation. Further matchups for RAF09 will be announced in due course. Tickets will go on sale later this week, and fans can sign up for pre-sale access at realamericanfreestyle.com

RAF has quickly established itself as a major force in combat sports, building the category's most engaged fanbase in under a year. The league has expanded how fans experience wrestling — from live events to Fan Zones, youth clinics, and collectibles — creating new entry points for the next generation of athletes and fans.

At the same time, RAF’s combination of star power, high stakes, and historic matchups has driven rapid digital growth, generating more than 200 billion earned media impressions and over 250 million social views per event.

RAF’s next event, RAF08, takes place April 18 at Philadelphia’s Liacouras Center, headlined by Henry Cejudo vs Merab Dvalishvili, with Arman Tsarukyan vs Urijah Faber in the co-main event.

Following RAF08, the league will host the second edition of its wrestling clinic series on April 19. The clinics give young athletes the opportunity to train directly with elite RAF talent, including Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo, two-time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver, NCAA All-American Real Woods, and RAF athletes Johnni DiJulius and Mugzy. The program reflects RAF’s broader commitment to growing the sport and building its future. Interested participants can register at the link here.

For more information and updates, visit realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA on all platforms.

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level.

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

For more information, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.

Just a few days after the RAF 07 card took place, Real American Freestyle put the final touches on their next event, RAF 08. RAF 08 will take place on April 18th from the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Thursday saw the release of the final two matches on the card and both are interesting from a hardcore fan's perspective. The organization has made some matches that come from an entertainment standpoint, involving MMA fighters; however, both are original matchups featuring wrestlers who recently participated in the 2026 NCAA Championships.

The first match takes place in the middleweight division (175 lbs) and pits three-time NCAA champion Jason Nolf against two-time All-American Joey Blaze.

Nolf was slated to take on Tajmuraz Salkazanov on the RAF 07 card, but Salkazanov was pulled late and David Mistulov was added in his place. Nolf cruised to a 10-0 tech of Mistulov. The appearance was Nolf’s third under the RAF banner. He also defeated grappler Andy Valera and lost a shootout to Evan Wick in the organization’s inaugural event.

Blaze is fresh off a sixth-place finish at the 2026 NCAA Championships. Also in 2026, Blaze finished third at the Big Ten Championships and earned the second seed at nationals. Last season, Blaze got on the podium for the first time with a runner-up finish at the 157 lb weight class.

The second match added on Thursday highlights the bantamweight division (135 lbs) and has a pair of past national champions colliding as Darian Cruz meets Lucas Byrd.

Cruz, a 2017 NCAA champion for Lehigh, currently represents Puerto Rico internationally and qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games. In Paris, Cruz advanced to a bronze medal match, but came up just short of a medal. Last year, Cruz won the Grand Prix of Spain and finished 13th at the World Championships. During his career at Lehigh, Cruz found the medal stand three times and might be best remembered for his semifinal upset of Iowa’s Thomas Gilman during his title run.

Byrd just wrapped up his highly decorated career at Illinois. A 2025 national champion, Byrd became just the second Illini wrestler to earn All-American honors four times. During his title-winning season, Byrd also claimed a Big Ten championship. This year, Byrd finished seventh in a weight class dominated by freshmen who finished #1-#4 in Cleveland (including Blaze’s younger brother, Marcus).

RAF’s 12-match card is arguably the most stacked of the organization's short history. A pair of titles will be on the line along with a handful of highly competitive matches. Four Olympic gold medalists will take the mat in Philly.

RAF 08 Card

Lightweight bout (155 lbs) - Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili

Middleweight bout (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Urijah Faber

Light Heavyweight title bout (215 lbs) - Kyle Snyder vs. Rizabek Aitmukhan

Cruiserweight bout (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia vs. Aeoden Sinclair

Heavyweight bout (UNL) - Tony Cassioppi vs. Shamil Sharipov

Women’s Bantamweight title bout (130 lbs) - Helen Maroulis vs. Alexis Janiak

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Real Woods vs. Anthony Ashnault

Middleweight bout (175 lbs) - Jason Nolf vs. Joey Blaze

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Vladimir Khinchegashvili vs. Johnni DiJulius

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Lance Palmer vs. Cayden Henschel

Featherweight bout (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver vs. Mike Van Brill

Bantamweight bout (130 lbs) - Darian Cruz vs. Lucas Byrd

Since the NCAA Tournament took place last weekend and put a bow on the collegiate season, that means it’s a slow period for wrestling, right? Not exactly. Tonight, RAF will showcase their seventh card, the aptly named RAF 07. Previous offerings from RAF have been heavy on matches based on entertainment value outside of the wrestling world, more so than matches for wrestling junkies. While this card certainly has some matches that will attract attention from the MMA world, it is perhaps the best slate, to date, from a pure wrestling standpoint.

RAF 07 is filled with interesting stylistic matchups, young stars getting tested by decorated vets, and a few matches that are toss-up’s.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect from RAF 07.

Middleweight Bout (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas

This is a matchup that just had to happen on the RAF 07 card. Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas met just one card against on RAF 06 with Tsarukyan winning, 5-3. The result of the match is almost immaterial as Tsarukyan struck Poullas as the pair were getting up after the final whistle and a brawl ensued. It is easily the wildest moment in the short history of RAF. Initially, the pair agreed on a grappling match with another organization, but that was quickly scrapped in lieu of a rematch on the RAF mat. Even if you are of the mindset that brawls are not good for our sport, you can still acknowledge that this rematch probably generates a ton of interest outside of our wrestling bubble.

Cruiserweight Bout (190 lbs) - Colby Covington vs. Dillon Danis

Along with Tsarukyan/Poullas, this bout has the potential to draw some eyes from the MMA world. Both Colby Covington and Dillon Danis are among the most outspoken and controversial figures in MMA. Covington got a win over Luke Rockhold in the main event of RAF 05 and was a DI All-American from Oregon State. Danis has a wrestling background, but also a checkered history between boxing, MMA, and grappling. Two years ago, he was disqualified from a boxing match with Logan Paul for a takedown and a choke, leading to a brawl. There’s a good chance that some sort of shenanigans follow this bout.

Cruiserweight Championship Match (190 lbs) - Kyle Dake vs. Parker Keckeisen

With the results that have turned up in RAF, this is a logical matchup to make and headline the pure wrestling portion of this card. Kyle Dake has been a day one mainstay with this organization, beating Dean Hamiti for the cruiserweight belt and then defending twice since. His most recent victory was an action-packed 10-7 victory over his Olympic rival, Kadimagomedov. Keckeisen’s RAF debut was one to remember as he stunned 2025 World Champion Zahid Valencia 10-2 on RAF 04. Such a win is worthy of an immediate title shot. The most recent meeting between these two took place at the 2025 World Team Trials and Dake was victorious to the tune of 11-1. That match was about two months removed from the end of Keckeisen’s final NCAA tournament for UNI, so he’s likely grown with freestyle-only training since then.

Light Heavyweight Championship Match (215 lbs) - Akhmed Tazhudinov vs. Kyle Snyder

Back in 2023, Akhmed Tazhudinov burst on the Senior level with a stunning 11-0 tech over Kyle Snyder in the quarterfinals of the World Championships. A round later, he was beating the legendary Abdulrashid Sadulaev before an injury default. A year later, Tazhudinov defeated Snyder in the semifinals of the Olympic Games - on his way to winning gold.

Since then, Tazhudinov has participated in the RAF 03 card and got into a back-and-forth battle with Tony Cassioppi before prevailing via fall. Snyder was set to headline the RAF 02 card against Mason Parris, but had to pull out via injury.

After the 2024 Olympic Games, Snyder returned to the top of the heap at 97 kg and captured his fourth title, to go along with a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics.

This will be RAF’s first matchup that features two Olympic gold medalists squaring off with each other. It is also for the vacant light heavyweight belt.

Women’s Middleweight Championship Match (150 lbs) - Kennedy Blades vs. Milana Dudieva

The face of the women’s division at RAF has been Kennedy Blades. She hasn’t disappointed either, winning both of her previous RAF appearances by tech fall and without surrendering a point. At times, she looked like she was toying with her opponents and going for highlight reel suplexes rather than simpler leg attacks. Tonight, she’ll take on Milana Dudieva, a decorated MMA fighter who has seen action in the UFC and Invicta. Dudieva reportedly comes from a Judo background, so she might be the right woman to attempt upper-body throws on Blades.

Heavyweight Championship Match (UNL) - Wyatt Hendrickson vs. Trent Hillger

Wyatt Hendrickson returns for his third RAF match to defend his heavyweight championship against RAF newbie Trent Hillger. These two are not strangers, as the pair met in Final X last year. Their series was unexpectedly one of the most exciting of the evening and provided fans with the highest scoring bout in Final X history. Since turning his attention to the Senior level, Hendrickson has mowed through a lot of the top competitors; however, Hillger was able to do some damage at Hendrickson’s expense. We’ll see if Hendrickson is able to make adjustments and roll or if Hillger still is a difficult matchup for him.

Featherweight Bout (145 lbs) - Bo Bassett vs. Vladimir Khinchesgashvili

Bo Bassett’s third RAF appearance will feature a huge step up in competition from his previous two matches. Bassett made his debut with a 1:00 fall over 2009 NCAA champion Darrion Caldwell. At RAF 05, Bassett teched Cayden Henschel, 14-4. Now, the high school senior will have to deal with world and Olympic gold medalist Vladimir Khinchegashvili. The Georgian star is a two-time Olympic medalist and a three-time world medalist and was one of the best lightweights of his era. Khinchegashvili’s Olympic gold medal came in 2016 and his most recent world medal came a year later, so he’s clearly past his prime. That being said, he still could be a problem for Bassett. Without competing regularly, Khinchegashvili might have issues trying to keep up with Bassett’s pace and gas tank.

Cruiserweight Bout (190 lbs) - Khidir Saipudinov vs. Aeoden Sinclair

This might end up being one of the more action-packed bouts of the evening. Aeoden Sinclair was supposed to participate on the RAF 01 card, but was pulled because of potential NCAA eligibility concerns. Now, a week removed from his first NCAA appearance (and a third-place finish), he’s ready to go. In a 184 lb weight class filled with defensive-minded title contenders, Sinclair’s offense was a welcome change. His opponent is Khidir Saipudinov, a bronze medalist at the 2025 World Championships and a silver medalist at the Asian Championships. The only wrestler to defeat Saipudinov at the 2025 World Championships was American, Levi Haines (via a 5-2 score).

Middleweight Bout (175 lbs) - Tajmuraz Salkazanov vs. Jason Nolf

This matchup is one that features an interesting contrast of styles. Tajmuraz Salkazanov is defensively sound and a quality counter-attacker, while Jason Nolf is much more offensively minded and creative in his attacks. Both wrestlers will be making their third appearance in RAF. Salkazanov is unbeaten with wins over James Green and Keegan O’Toole. The O’Toole win took place at RAF 06 and Salkazanov was impressive during his 9-0 win over the former U23 world champion. Nolf lost a back-and-forth thriller on the RAF 01 card to Evan Wick and then cruised to a 10-0 victory over grappling star Andy Varela at RAF 04.

This could end up being a de facto #1 contender matchup with the winner facing middleweight champion Dean Hamiti on a future card.

Light Heavyweight Bout (215 lbs) - Trent Hidlay vs. Patrick Downey

Patrick Downey has proven to be one of the most frequent competitors during the short history of RAF. He wrestled on cards 02-04 and was slated to appear on 05, before the card needed last-minute changes. Downey has a pair of losses to the legendary Yoel Romero and Jake Varner, plus a win over MMA fighter Joaquin Buckley. Tonight, he’ll have to contend with a Trent Hidlay, who is coming off a world championship in 2025. Hidlay made his debut on RAF 04 and turned in a solid, 5-3 win over Jacob Cardenas. If Hidlay’s close to top shape, it could be a rough evening for Downey.

Featherweight Bout (145 lbs) - Johnni DiJulius vs. Conor Beebe

On the RAF 05 card, Johnni DiJulius took on and was beaten by 2020 Big Ten champion Pat Lugo. This might be a more appropriate matchup for him rather than an opponent who was still close to his collegiate career and has semi-recently competed on the Senior level. This time, DiJulius will take on Conor Beebe, a four-time national qualifier for Central Michigan from 2007-10. Beebe is now a club coach in the greater Tampa area. DiJulius had similar collegiate credentials and was a starter on Ohio State’s 2015 NCAA Championship-winning team.

TAMPA, FL (March 25, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, today announced that 2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson has signed with the league and will compete under the RAF banner.

One of the most dominant and recognizable figures in modern wrestling, Steveson captured Olympic Gold for Team USA in dramatic fashion at the Tokyo Games, winning as time expired, aged just 21. Steveson is a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Minnesota and a two-time Hodge trophy recipient, awarded annually to the nation’s top collegiate wrestler. Steveson now joins RAF, where Olympians, World Champions, NCAA All-Americans, and crossover combat athletes compete on wrestling’s new main stage. Steveson will debut at RAF09 in May, with location and matchup details to be announced soon.

“Gable is a generational athlete and one of the biggest stars our sport has ever produced,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Real American Freestyle. “We set out to build a true professional home for the best wrestlers in the world and Gable choosing RAF is proof that we’re doing exactly that.”

In less than a year, RAF has rapidly emerged as one of the most compelling new properties in combat sports. The league has generated 200+ billion earned media impressions, 750+ million organic social views, and surpassed eight figures in ticketing and merchandise revenue, while delivering consistent audience growth across every event.

By bringing together elite talent across Olympic wrestling, collegiate competition, and MMA, RAF is transforming freestyle wrestling into a premier global spectator sport — with real stakes, real competition, and a modern fight-night presentation built for today’s audience.

RAF’s next event, RAF07, takes place this Saturday, March 28th, at Tampa’s Yuengling Center. The card is headlined by the highly-anticipated rematch between Georgio Poullas and Arman Tsarukyan, and co-headlined by Colby Covington taking on Dillon Danis in a crossover showdown. RAF07 also features four championship bouts across Cruiserweight, Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and Women’s Middleweight divisions. All RAF events stream exclusively live on FOX Nation.

Following RAF07, the league will launch its first wrestling clinic series on Sunday, March 29, at Freedom High School in Tampa. The clinics will provide young wrestlers the opportunity to train directly with elite RAF athletes, including Olympic medalist Kyle Dake, along with Cayden Henschel, Conor Beebe, Johnni DiJulius, and Mugzy. The initiative reflects RAF’s broader mission to grow the sport and inspire the next generation. Interested participants can register at the link here.

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level.

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

For more information, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.

CLEVELAND, OH (March 19, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, today announced that its one-year anniversary event, RAF12, will take place at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena on Saturday, August 22, streaming live exclusively on FOX Nation.

Twelve events in. One year in. And the fastest-rising league in combat sports returns to where it all started.

RAF12 marks a full-circle moment for a league that has rapidly established itself as wrestling’s new main stage—bringing Olympic medalists, World Champions, NCAA legends, and MMA crossover stars together under one platform, with real stakes, global reach, and a modern fight-night presentation.

In just its first year, RAF has delivered explosive growth across media, merchandising, and distribuiton—generating 200+ billion earned media impressions, 750+ million social views, and surpassing eight figures in both ticketing and merchandise revenue. Beyond live events, RAF has expanded into a broader ecosystem including trading cards, fan zones, and youth wrestling clinics—building a year-round platform for the sport and a destination for young fans and families to participate like never before.

“This is a milestone moment for RAF,” said CEO and Co-Founder Chad Bronstein. “We started this league to give wrestling a true professional home—and one year later, we’re seeing that vision come to life in a big way.” Bronstein, a Cleveland native, adds, “There’s no better place to celebrate that than Cleveland, where it all began, in front of one of the most passionate wrestling communities in the country.”

Rocket Arena—home of the Cleveland Cavaliers—will host RAF’s anniversary event as the city once again takes center stage in the sport. With the NCAA Wrestling Championships taking place in Cleveland this week, the moment reinforces the city’s role as a cornerstone of American wrestling and a fitting backdrop for RAF’s continued rise.

As RAF returns, it does so with global momentum—elevating freestyle wrestling into a premier spectator sport and creating a destination where the best athletes in the world compete year-round.

RAF’s next event will be RAF07, taking place next week, Saturday March 28th at Tampa Bay’s Yuengling Center. The event is headlined by a rematch between Georgio Poullas and Arman Tsarukyan, and co-headlined by Colby Covington taking on Dillon Danis for his RAF debut. Accompanying the headliners will be four championship matches at Cruiserweight, Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and Women’s Middleweight. Please see the full card here. If you are interested in attending, tickets can be purchased here. If you are interested in covering the event in person from Florida, please contact darrin@srkstrategies.com.

Following the event on Sunday, March 29th, at Tampa’s Freedom High School, the league will host the first of its new wrestling clinic series in which fans will be able to train with the pros to learn the highest level of freestyle wrestling. These clinics will provide incredible opportunities for young wrestlers in America to meet and work with their heroes, as RAF athletes seek to give back to the wrestling community, and elevate RAF’s mission to inspire the next generation of athletes. Coaches will include a small group focus for aspiring wrestlers led by RAF athletes Kyle Dake, Cayden Henschel, Conor Beebe, Johnni DiJulius, Mugzy. Interested participants can register at the link here.

About Real American Freestyle Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level.

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

If you stayed up late for RAF 06, you got to see a little bit of everything. Some controversy and confusion regarding scoring, some quality action, the return of a combat sports legend. Oh yeah, and a brawl. Here’s a quick recap of the ten matches that make up RAF 06.

Mugzy Bulljunk over Clay Guida (13-3)

After a couple of losses in RAF, Mugzy gets his first win largely on the strength of his counter exposures.

Jordan Oliver over Beau Bartlett (5-3)

Very odd match. RAF has adopted UWW’s rule changes regarding grounded wrestlers and stepouts. It appeared that Bartlett was a 3-3 winner in the contest. Oliver had two instances where he was in on Bartlett’s legs, but Bartlett dropped to his knees well before the boundary and no points were awarded as the wrestlers went out of bounds. On both occasions, Oliver was adamantly arguing with the officials. He seemed to be the only person in the building aware of the rule changes - officials, announcers, coaches, etc.

Zahid Valencia over Mahmoud Sebie (10-0)

This one played out as expected. I wouldn’t have minded if there had been a second look at the final sequence. A case could have been made that Sebie earned four points.

Evan Wick over Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (13-2)

This was expected to be a great match with lots of action, but I don’t think a one-sided win for Evan Wick was the consensus. Wick looked great against a high-quality opponent.

Tajmuraz Salkazanov over Keegan O’Toole (9-0)

Salkazanov moves to 2-0 after his second quality win in RAF. In his debut, he had a win on criteria over James Green. On Saturday, he neutralized O’Toole. I should note there were a couple of issues with the streaming on Saturday and one of them forced me to miss about a period of action here.

Lucia Yepez Guzman over Everest Leydecker (10-3)

I loved this matchup for the young, American phenom Leydecker. The two were generally pretty close until a sequence late in the third period, where Yepez Guzman exposed Leydecker three times during a scramble. It’s probably something that Leydecker could easily correct. The plan seems to be Yepez Guzman against Strawweight champion Sarah Hildebrandt - that would be great.

Andrew Alirez over Bryce Meredith (13-2)

Great debut for Alirez, who should be a key player in the organization’s featherweight division. Despite his time away from competition, specifically in the freestyle area, Alirez was able to pull off some savvy maneuvers and got multiple exposures in scrambles. Hopefully, we see him against someone in the title hunt at the division (Real Woods, Jordan Oliver, Beau Bartlett).

Givi Matcharashvili over Stephen Buchanan (3-3)

This match showed why Matcharashvili is a consistent medal contender on the international scene and that Buchanan isn’t too far behind. He had a great run in the first two months of 2026 internationally. Unfortunately, Buchanan appeared to suffer a rib or sternum injury. Hopefully, it doesn’t jeopardize and disrail his promising 2026 campaign.

David Carr over Bubba Jenkins (13-2)

David Carr retained his welterweight championship with a win over former ASU national champion and RAF commentator Bubba Jenkins. Jenkins shocked Carr with exposure from a gator roll to take the early lead, but from there it was all Carr.

Aljamain Sterling over Benson Henderson (fall; 1st)

No one was really sure what to expect from these two lower-division collegiate All-Americans turned MMA stars. Youth prevailed as Sterling won via fall.

Arman Tsarukyan over Georgio Poullas (5-3)

The actual wrestling action took a back seat to the fireworks that took place after the match. As the two were on the mat, Tsarukyan started with some MMA-style ground-and-pound Poullas. That led to both coaches, trainers, and RAF personnel rushing the mat. Some side scuffles broke out around the mat area. This type of thing wasn’t ideal; however, it has already made the rounds on social media and will give the organization more widespread exposure.

Henry Cejudo over Urijah Faber (11-0)

A different generation got the opportunity to see what made Henry Cejudo special on the wrestling mat. He showed off some of his lightning-quick low leg attacks. It sounds funny looking at the score, but I think Faber acquitted himself well, considering his age and his lack of recent wrestling experience.

After Cejudo’s win, UFC star Merab Dvalishvili was brought to the mat for a face off and Cejudo mentioned a possible match on RAF 08. Dvalishvili agreed and RAF has released promotional materials for that match; presumably, it will headline the event. 

Since RAF 05 took place on January 10th, we’re going through RAF withdrawals, having about a month and a half in between events. No worries, RAF 06 is back tonight from Tempe, Arizona. The organization’s sixth offering will head way out west and take place on the campus of Arizona State University. As you might expect, there’s plenty of ASU/Arizona flavor around this card.

RAF 06 is loaded with one championship match, an appearance by one of the best combat sports athletes ever, perhaps the biggest rising star in women’s wrestling, and plenty of fun matches. Here’s what to watch for this evening.

You can watch it on the FoxNation App tonight at 9pm EST.

Welterweight (165 lbs) - Clay Guida vs. Mugzy Bulljunk

This is a contest between two RAF veterans who have served the organization admirably from a promotional standpoint. Clay Guida made his RAF debut in his hometown of Chicago and suffered a loss via tech to Cayden Henschel. Henschel also teched Mugzy Bulljunk in the previous event. While Mugzy has the age advantage, Guida’s wrestling background is likely a difference-maker.  

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver vs. Beau Bartlett

At RAF 05, Jordan Oliver missed weight and was stripped of his featherweight title. He ended competing on the card and posted a second-straight win over Real Woods via criteria. Neither match was particularly action-packed, but Oliver did get his hand raised. He’s looking to get back in the title picture against RAF debutant Beau Bartlett. Bartlett finished in the top three on three occasions at Penn State and was a Junior world bronze medalist in freestyle.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Aljamain Sterling vs. Benson Henderson

Initially, Benson Henderson was set to square off with fellow UFC veteran Chad Mendes; however, Mendes recently pulled out with an injury. In his place, another UFC veteran steps in, Aljamain Sterling. Both of these wrestlers-turned-fighters were collegiate All-Americans at one time. Sterling at the DIII level and Henderson at the NAIA level. Sterling is six years younger than Henderson, but Henderson has been on the card and training for the match longer. Without more information about the current wrestling skills of both athletes, it’s hard to forecast how this match will play out.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia vs. Mahmoud Sebie

2025 world champion Zahid Valencia is back for his third match with RAF, and it takes place in the area in which he captured a pair of NCAA titles competing for Arizona State. While Valencia will have a strong following wherever he goes, expect the Arizona crowd to be very vocal on his behalf. Valencia was shocked in his RAF debut against Parker Keckeisen, but rebounded to get his first win against Nate Jackson on the RAF 05 card. Mahmoud Sebie made the 2016 Olympic Games in Greco-Roman representing Egypt, but has since moved to the United States and wrestled under the stars and stripes. He was most recently a silver medalist at the 2024 Pan-American Championships. Sebie has since transitioned to MMA and racked up a 6-3 record professionally.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov vs. Evan Wick

If you could only watch one match tonight (but why?), it has to be this one. Kadi and Evan Wick have been proven to be must-watch during their short stints in RAF. Wick and Jason Nolf engaged in one of the best matches in RAF history on their inaugural card and Wick captured the middleweight championship. Even in a loss to Dean Hamiti, there were plenty of fireworks. Kadi’s two RAF appearances have combined to feature 35 total points. The first was a win over Dustin Plott and the second was a close title loss to Kyle Dake. Kadi has also provided some of the best highlights from an individual move standpoint.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Tajmuraz Salkazanov vs. Keegan O’Toole

Way back on the RAF 02 card, Tajmuraz Salkazanov made his RAF debut with a 4-4 win on criteria over James Green. It still remains one of the most high-level clashes in RAF history. The four-time world medalist remains one of the best active, international participants in RAF. He could have an entertaining matchup with Keegan O’Toole tonight. O’Toole will be competing in RAF for the first time. He won a pair of titles at Missouri and has already proven his mettle on the freestyle scene. O’Toole has captured world titles at the U20 and U23 age groups. I’d expect the winner to wrestle for the middleweight title sometime in the near future.

Women’s Strawweight (120 lbs) - Lucia Guzman Yepez vs. Everest Leydecker

Recent RAF cards have featured Bo Bassett, one of the bright young faces in the wrestling world today. The same can be said for Everest Leydecker, who is one of the best young women’s prospects in America. In 2025, Leydecker dominated the field en route to a gold medal at the U20 World Championships as a 17-year-old. Earlier this year, Leydecker won the Zagreb Open Ranking Series Event. She’ll get an excellent test on Saturday with three-time World/Olympic medalist Lucia Guzman Yepez. Guzman Yepez has silver medals from the 2024 Olympic Games and the 2025 World Championships at 53 kg. At 25 years old, she’s probably right in the middle of her prime. The winner of this contest is said to take on strawweight champion Sarah Hildebrandt on a future card.

Unlimited - Stephen Buchanan vs. Givi Matcharashvili

There was some confusion around weights and weight classes last month during Stephen Buchanan’s RAF debut, but he went out and posted a dominating win over the legendary Yoel Romero. Since then, Buchanan has captured the world’s attention with titles at the Henri DeGlane and the Zagreb Open Ranking Series Event. The 2025 NCAA champion might end up being a key player in the world team hunt at 97 kg. Before that, Buchanan has a matchup with the highly decorated Givi Matcharashvili. The Georgian was a silver medalist at the 2024 Olympic Games and a two-time world bronze medalist, to go along with three European gold medals. He’s an elite upperweight and another great test for Buchanan, who is still very young in his freestyle development.

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Andrew Alirez vs. Bryce Meredith

This match was supposed to be Bryce Meredith against Muhammad Mokaev, but Mokaev pulled out and was replaced by Andrew Alirez. From a pure wrestling standpoint, I like the match much better. Meredith was a two-time NCAA finalist, who has moved into the MMA world. Alirez was an NCAA champion for Northern Colorado and finished up with an injury-plagued 2024-25 season. Hopefully, this is a sign that he’s healthy and ready to challenge for world/Olympic teams. We’re not really sure what to expect from Meredith in his time away from the wrestling world, but I’m sure he’ll acquit himself well. This is also fun because both wrestlers graduated from Big 12 wrestling schools that are separated by less than two hours.

Welterweight Championship (165 lbs) - David Carr vs. Bubba Jenkins

He’s going from the booth to the wrestling mat! Bubba Jenkins started as an announcer on the first couple of RAF cards, but now he’s traded the mic for a singlet. The 2011 NCAA champion was one of the most exciting wrestlers of his generation, highlighted by his pin of David Taylor in the national finals. Jumping back in against our returning world team member and current RAF champion, David Carr, might be a bit ambitious. Carr has won via tech in both of his previous RAF appearances.

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Arman Tsarukyan vs. Georgio Poullas

Both Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas made their RAF debuts on the 05 card. Tsarukyan ran through 2010 national finalist Lance Palmer, while Poullas downed Mugzy in a battle of wrestling influencers. The UFC title contender Tsarukyan obviously has more high-level competitive experience than Poullas; however, Poullas was a very solid collegiate wrestler for Cleveland State. This is one I’m honestly not sure how it will play out.

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Henry Cejudo vs. Urijah Faber

The first card in Arizona is the perfect place for Henry Cejudo to hit the RAF mat for the first time. Cejudo recently retired from fighting, but is considered one of the best combat sports athletes ever. He has a 2008 Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling and he held UFC titles simultaneously at the flyweight and bantamweight division. Cejudo’s name alone should draw plenty of non-wrestling eyes to the card. Even so, I think he’ll be more than a sideshow attraction and be able to show some of his wrestling prowess. Urijah Faber was a two-time NCAA qualifier for UC Davis and was an instrumental figure in the growth of the lighter weight classes on the national MMA scene. He was the WEC featherweight champion and fought for the UFC title on multiple occasions. Faber has competed in freestyle in the Veterans division at the US Open in recent years, so he should be able to handle himself well.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (February 24, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, today announced that RAF08 will take place at Philadelphia’s Liacouras Center on Saturday, April 18, streaming live exclusively on FOX Nation. The 10,000-seat arena — located on the campus of Temple University — becomes the latest major venue to host RAF as the league continues its expansion into premier markets across the country.

Headlining RAF08 is MMA bantamweight standout Merab Dvalishvili, making his official RAF debut. Prior to December 2025, Dvalishvili built a 14-fight win streak — the longest in UFC bantamweight history — and holds the record for most takedowns in UFC history. Known for his grappling dominance, his pace and pedigree bring one of combat sports’ most dominant athletes onto wrestling’s new main stage.

All RAF events stream exclusively on FOX Nation. Additional matchups for RAF08 will be announced in the coming weeks. Pre-sale tickets will go live on Wednesday February 25th, with general on-sale on Friday February 27th. Fans can sign up for pre-sale access at realamericanfreestyle.com 

“Philadelphia is a fight city, and RAF belongs on the biggest stages,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Real American Freestyle. “Merab is elite, relentless, and rooted in wrestling. When athletes of his caliber step onto the RAF stage, it reinforces what this league represents — the professional home for the sport’s best.”

RAF08 continues a red-hot start to 2026. RAF06 takes place this Saturday in Tempe, Arizona, headlined by Henry Cejudo vs. Urijah Faber in front of a sold out crowd. RAF07 follows March 28 at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, featuring Kyle Dake vs. Parker Keckeisen, Bo Bassett vs. Vladimer Khinchegashvili, and more. The day after RAF07, Sunday March 29th, RAF will also host a wrestling clinic, where young fans and aspiring wrestlers will be able to train with and be coached by RAF athletes. More information will be announced soon. 

In January, Real American Freestyle extended its exclusive media partnership with FOX Nation through a multi-year agreement. Amazon Prime Subscribers also now have the option to bundle Fox Nation with the Fox One streaming service in a single subscription on Prime Video, giving "cord-cutters" access to the complete portfolio of Fox’s leading news, sports and entertainment content all in one app for $24.99 monthly. RAF is a top subscription driver for FOX Nation, generating more than 170 billion earned media impressions and over 500 million organic social views to date. The league has also surpassed seven figures in both ticket and merchandise revenue as it continues to scale. 

RAF also continues to expand beyond live events, including the recent launch of its second-edition trading card collection which features rare foil parallels and true one-of-one relic cards that include match-worn gear. Trading cards can be purchased online here. 

Additional matchups for RAF08 will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information and updates, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA on all platforms.

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level.

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

For more information, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.

TAMPA, FL (February 5, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, today announced that RAF07 will take place March 28 at the Yuengling Center in Tampa Bay, Florida, marking the league’s seventh event in as many months. 

Four major matches have been announced today. One of the headline bouts for RAF07 features Bo Bassett taking on RAF newcomer and globally acclaimed wrestler, Vladimer Khinchegashvili. Bassett is 2-0 in RAF, having defeated Cayden Henschel and Darrion Caldwell, and will now face the 2016 Olympic gold medalist from the Republic of Georgia. Khinchegashvili also won Olympic silver in 2012, gold at the 2015 World Championships, and is a three-time European Champion.

RAF Cruiserweight Champion Kyle Dake will put his title on the line against Parker Keckeisen, the 2024 undefeated NCAA Champion at 184 lbs. Dake most recently retained the belt at RAF05, while Keckeisen earned his title shot after a dominant win over reigning World Champion Zahid Valencia at RAF04.

In women’s championship action, RAF Women’s Middleweight Champion Kennedy Blades will defend her title against Milana Dudieva, who makes her Real American Freestyle debut. Blades, undefeated in RAF, is one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars, having earned Olympic silver in Paris at just 20 years old.

RAF07 will also feature a marquee international matchup as Kyle Snyder meets Akhmed Tazhudinov, the 2023 World Champion and 2024 Olympic gold medalist representing Bahrain, in a matchup that underscores RAF’s growing global reach.

“This event is a clear snapshot of where RAF is right now,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Real American Freestyle. “You’re seeing the sport’s top athletes competing in matchups that simply weren’t possible before. Bringing RAF07 to Tampa Bay lets us keep building momentum in a first-class arena while continuing to show what a true professional home for wrestling looks like.”

RAF’s momentum continues to accelerate following the recent extension of its exclusive media partnership with FOX Nation. Through five completed events, RAF has become one of the platform’s top subscription drivers, generating over 170 billion earned media impressions and 500 million organic social views, while surpassing seven figures in both ticket sales and merchandise revenue. RAF will hold its first ever wrestling clinic on Sunday, March 29th, where young fans and aspiring wrestlers will be able to train with and be coached by RAF athletes. More information, including registration details, will be announced soon.

Also launching today are RAF Trading Cards: 2nd Edition, expanding the league’s growing collectibles platform with a limited print run, rare foil parallels, and true one-of-one Relic cards. The collection features 10,000 cards after the 1st edition sold out, with a lucky fan packing the one-of-one card live at the RAF05 fan zone reserved opening. You can find more information about RAF Trading Cards here.

The league has hosted five live events to date – Cleveland (RAF01), State College (RAF02), Chicago (RAF03), Indianapolis (RAF04), Miami (RAF05). Each event builds in attendance and attention, leveraging their prestige to bring together global namesakes and the best-of-the-best in exclusive marquee matches. RAF06 continues this trend when it takes place in Tempe, AZ on February 28th, co-headlined by Henry Cejudo v Urijah Faber, and Arman Tsarukyan v Georgio Poullas. 

Additional matchups for RAF07 will be announced in the coming weeks. Presale tickets go live Friday, February 6, with all RAF events streaming live exclusively on FOX Nation.

For more information and updates, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA on all platforms.

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level.

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

For more information, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.

Almost one month to the day from Real American Freestyle’s (RAF) sixth offering, it appears as if their RAF 06 card has been set. On Sunday, the organization took to social media to announce that 2025 NCAA champion Stephen Buchanan would return to face Olympic silver medalist Givi Matcharashvili of Georgia.

Buchanan made his RAF debut earlier this month when he teched combat sports legend Yoel Romero in the second period. Due to a miscommunication regarding weight classes, Buchanan didn’t make weight for his scheduled match with Patrick Downey. There were some last-minute changes to the card, which led to Buchanan’s match with Romero at heavyweight.

Buchanan was a four-time NCAA All-American during a career that spanned Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Iowa. During his lone season with Iowa, Buchanan went 26-1 and finished as a Big Ten runner-up before defeating Josh Barr in the NCAA finals.

Matcharashvili is a three-time European Senior champion and a two-time world silver medalist. In 2024, Matcharashivli defeated Azerbaijan’s Magomedkhan Magomedov, 5-0, to make the Olympic finals. He ended up falling in the gold medal match to fellow RAF signee Akhmed Tazhudinov.

As of now, this is the 11th bout on the RAF 06 card. None of the previous cards had more than 11 matches, so it seems like that might be the final addition.

RAF 06 will take place on February 28th from Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. This will be the farthest west that the organization has ventured in their short history. Before RAF 06, the RAF 03 card in Chicago represented the most western point for its cards.

Last week, RAF received good news from their broadcast partner, Fox Nation. The organization’s event have been picked up for another year due to the success of their first five cards.

As of now, the RAF 06 card looks like this:

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Henry Cejudo vs. Urijah Faber

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Muhammed Mokaev vs. Bryce Meredith

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov vs. Evan Wick

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Frank Chamizo vs. Keegan O’Toole

Women’s Strawweight (110 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman vs. Everest Leydecker

Cruiserweight (190 lbs) - Zahid Valencia vs. Mahmoud Sebie

Welterweight Championship (165 lbs) - David Carr vs. Bubba Jenkins

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Jordan Oliver vs. Beau Bartlett

Welterweight (165 lbs) - Clay Guida vs. Mugzy Bulljunk

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Chad Mendes vs. Benson Henderson

Heavyweight (Unlimited) - Stephen Buchanan vs. Givi Matcharashvili

Tampa, FL (January 15, 2026) – Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, today announced that Abdulrashid Sadulaev, one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the history of the sport, has signed an exclusive agreement to compete professionally with RAF. Sadulaev’s signing reinforces RAF as the definitive professional platform for elite freestyle wrestling. He will compete exclusively in RAF events and will not wrestle professionally for any other league or organization. 

In just five events since launching in August 2025, RAF has rapidly established itself as a new force in combat sports — professionalizing wrestling with modern production, distribution, and monetization. The league has drawn record attendance, massive digital reach, and organic media adoption, while attracting the sport’s most decorated athletes to a single, centralized stage. RAF is spearheaded by the elite storytelling of co-Founders Chad Bronstein, Izzy Martinez, and Eric Bischoff. 

Widely regarded as one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time, Sadulaev is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2016, 2020), six-time World Champion (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024), and four-time European Champion (2014, 2018, 2019, 2020). Known globally as “The Russian Tank,” he is one of only two wrestlers in history to win world championships across three different weight classes. Sadulaev’s decision to sign exclusively with RAF signals a broader shift in the sport — as elite wrestlers increasingly seek a professional environment that offers real competition, global visibility, and long-term career opportunity beyond traditional amateur pathways. 

“Abdulrashid Sadulaev is one of the most dominant athletes the sport of wrestling has ever produced,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO of Real American Freestyle. “His decision to sign exclusively with RAF is a clear signal that the top tier of the sport now sees RAF as the professional destination. This accelerates our position with broadcasters, partners, and fans as we continue to scale the platform globally.” 

“When the best wrestler of his generation chooses to compete exclusively at RAF, it validates what we’re building,” said Izzy Martinez, COO of Real American Freestyle. “This is a truly monumental signing and shows that the best athletes in the world feel they need to be a part of RAF. We are professionalizing wrestling at the highest level, and becoming the place where the sport’s future is being shaped.” 

Sadulaev joins an elite and growing roster that includes Kyle Dake, Wyatt Hendrickson, Mason Parris, Kennedy Blades, David Carr, Lance Palmer, Ben Askren, Sarah Hildebrandt, and Bo Bassett, among others. RAF has also attracted major crossover stars from mixed martial arts, including Michael Chandler, Colby Covington, Bo Nickal, Luke Rockhold, Henry Cejudo, Urijah Faber, Clay Guida, Belal Muhammad, and Muhammad Mokaev.

Tickets are now on sale for RAF06 at Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ, on February 28th and can be purchased via Ticketmaster, here. All RAF events stream live on FOX Nation. For more information on Real American Freestyle, visit here. 

About Real American Freestyle 

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level. 

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation. 

For more information, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.

Just a few days after RAF 05 is in the books, the RAF 06 card is starting to come together. Real American Freestyle’s next offering will take place on February 28th at Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University.

We already knew that Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo would headline the event with a match against fellow MMA legend Urijah Faber. Also on the card is a bout between two-time NCAA finalist Bryce Meredith and MMA fighter Muhammed Mokaev.

Initially, it looked like we’d get a matchup between Evan Wick and Keegan O’Toole in the middleweight class. That seemed like a fine matchup, but it has morphed into two potentially more interesting matches.

Wick will now take on Olympic silver medalist Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov. Kadimagomedov will be making his third RAF appearance. Both of his two previous bouts, a win over Dustin Plott and a loss to Kyle Dake, featured plenty of action. The same can be said for Wick, whose match with Jason Nolf on the RAF 01 card is probably the best individual match from any of the first five cards. He won the middleweight belt during that match, but lost it to Dean Hamiti on the RAF 04 card via fall.

Keegan O’Toole will make his RAF debut against talented international veteran Frank Chamizo. Chamizo is a two-time world champion and a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. Despite a long, decorated international career, Chamizo is only 33 years old. During the COVID era of standalone wrestling cards, Chamizo was a frequent participant, and he has trained in America with Columbia’s NYC RTC.

There could be some excellent scrambles between the two-time national champion O’Toole and Chamizo. Since finishing his eligibility at the University of Missouri in 2025, O’Toole has joined the coaching staff at his alma mater. O'Toole has moved himself in freestyle as well with gold medals from the U20 and U23 World Championships.

Those two matches were announced last night. This morning we got a third new match.

High school phenom Everest Leydecker will compete in a match in the women’s strawweight division against Ecuador’s Lucia Yepez Guzman. Yepez Guzman is fresh off a silver medal at 53 kg at the 2024 Olympic Games. She is also a Senior world bronze medalist and a two-time U23 world finalist (one gold/one silver).

Despite having a few years of eligibility remaining, Leydecker won a U20 world title this summer in dominant fashion. She got to the finals with three straight 10-0 victories and defeated a Japanese opponent 10-2 in the finals. Leydecker was also a 2025 Final X participant at 55 kg and lost a pair of wild matches to Cristelle Rodriguez (12-8, 8-5).

In the post announcing the Yepez Guzman/Leydecker bout, it stated that the winner would get a shot at champion Sarah Hildebrandt’s belt on a future card.

As of now, the RAF 06 card looks like this:

Lightweight (155 lbs) - Henry Cejudo vs. Urijah Faber

Featherweight (145 lbs) - Muhammed Mokaev vs. Bryce Meredith

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov vs. Evan Wick

Middleweight (175 lbs) - Frank Chamizo vs. Keegan O’Toole

Women’s Strawweight (110 lbs) - Lucia Yepez Guzman vs. Everest Leydecker

We’re only a day away from RAF 05 and there’s plenty of reason to be excited. The organization’s first four cards have been held with about 500 miles of each other (from State College, PA to Chicago). Now, they are venturing out of that comfort zone and heading south to Sunrise, Florida.

The RAF 05 is the most complete and best card offered thus far by the company. There’s a little something for everyone. For crossover MMA fans, you have Covington/Rockhold and Palmer/Tsarukyan. The wrestling die-hards get Dake/Kadimagomedov, Oliver/Woods, and more. The younger, more social media interested fans get Mugzy/Poullas and Bassett/Henschel. Your old heads get Steve Mocco and Yoel Romero.

Here’s a bit about each of the 11 matches slated for Saturday night.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs): Colby Covington vs. Luke Rockhold

This was the first bout announced on RAF 05 and will be the headliner. It is designed to capture the attention of the MMA community, as both Colby Covington and Luke Rockhold are prominent names in the UFC. Rockhold was a high school wrestler who quickly transitioned to MMA and won the UFC middleweight championship in 2015. His last fight in the organization was in 2022. Covington was an All-American for Oregon State and moved to MMA after his graduation in 2011. During his time in the UFC, Covington held the interim welterweight championship and fought for the welterweight belt three times.

Like the Chad Mendes/Michael Chandler bout, I’m not sure where these two are from a wrestling standpoint. Covington has the better credentials, but Rockhold should have a size advantage.

Light Heavyweight Championship (205 lbs): Bo Nickal vs. Yoel Romero

Uncertainty was the main topic for Yoel Romero’s debut against Patrick Downey on RAF 04. Forgive us if we didn’t know what to expect from the 48-year-old combat sports legend. As it turns out, Romero was able to turn back the clock with some explosive throws against Downey. Now the ante has been upped against Bo Nickal. Nickal’s win over Jacob Cardenas at RAF 01 showed that, even though he’s not 100% focused on wrestling, Nickal is still a highly formidable opponent on the wrestling mat. We’ll see if Nickal attempts leg attacks or if this becomes an upper body contest, as neither will shy away from throws and trips.

This bout was initially supposed to be on the RAF 04 card, but Nickal had to pull out and the match was rescheduled.

Cruiserweight Championship (190 lbs): Kyle Dake vs. Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov

This is probably the match the hardcore fans are looking forward to the most. Kyle Dake and Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov famously met in the Olympic quarterfinals and Kadimagomedov shocked Dake with an 11-0 tech. On the RAF 04 show, Kadimagomedov debuted and put together one of the more entertaining matches in the organization’s short life, beating Dustin Plott, 11-7. So far, in his RAF career, Dake is 2-0 but hasn’t been seriously tested in wins against Dean Hamiti and Boris Makoev.

Dake’s size might play a part in the result here. There were a couple of opportunities for Kadimagomedov to expose Plott with chest wraps and crotch lifts, but his opponent’s size stopped him.

Even though this isn’t a world/Olympic bout, I expect both wrestlers to treat it like one.

Featherweight Championship (145 lbs): Jordan Oliver vs. Real Woods

On the RAF 03 card, Jordan Oliver traveled to Real Woods’ hometown and won the RAF featherweight belt from the 2025 world medalist. Though the win was legitimate, even Oliver wasn’t necessarily happy with his performance in the win. With that in mind and a match decided on criteria, it makes sense to have an immediate rematch between these two.

Oliver has been known as one of the more popular and exciting offensive wrestlers of his generation. Unfortunately, that offensive firepower wasn’t evident in his win over Woods. 2025 was a breakout year for Woods on the international scene. He rebounded from a subpar US Open to win a spot on the Senior World Team and ended up capturing a bronze medal.

Hopefully, we’ll see more action from both wrestlers this time, as they are capable of making a fun match for fans.

Bantamweight Championship (135 lbs): Nathan Tomasello vs. Austin DeSanto

The final title bout features Nathan Tomasello making his second title defense - this time against Austin DeSanto. Both are unbeaten on the RAF mat, Tomasello is 2-0 and DeSanto is 1-0. Because of an injury replacement, both of Tomasello’s RAF wins have come at the expense of Matt Ramos. Both matches were close, a one-point win on RAF 01 and a two-pointer on RAF 02. DeSanto got the RAF 02 card started with a 10-0 tech of former Penn State national champion, Nico Megaludis.

With RAF weight classes, bantamweight might be the perfect size for both of these wrestlers. With DeSanto’s pace and handfighting, I think we’re bound to see a quality matchup here.

Featherweight (145 lbs): Pat Lugo vs. Johnni DiJulius

DeSanto’s former teammate, Pat Lugo, is about to make his RAF debut. Lugo was an All-American for Iowa in 2019 and the Big Ten champion and #1 seed at the 2020 NCAA Championships that were cancelled at the onset of the COVID pandemic. Since 2020, Lugo has competed here and there for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. Johnni DiJulius was a four-time national qualifier for Ohio State and a starter on their national championship-winning team in 2015. Since then, DiJulius has spent time coaching collegiate and is a full-time thrill-seeker. He’s built a large social media following BASE jumping, bungee jumping, skydiving and more. DiJulius also portrayed Hawkeye Matt McDonough in the Anthony Robles film “Unstoppable.”

Open Weight: Mugzy Bulljunk vs. Georgio Poullas

In between matches at RAF 04, we saw an “altercation” between Mugzy Bulljunk and Georgio Poullas in the catering area backstage. Both have large social media followings and this match is likely targeted at that demographic. The edge here has to go towards the former Cleveland State wrestler, Poullas.

Cruiserweight (190 lbs): Zahid Valencia vs. Nate Jackson

These two wrestlers have been involved in two of the most surprising matches thus far in RAF’s short history. At RAF 02, Nate Jackson into State College and shocked Penn State’s five-time national champion, Carter Starocci. Jackson got out to an early lead and was never in danger. At the most recent RAF card, Valencia was stunned during a 10-2 loss to Parker Keckeisen.

The question is, will we see the wrestler who crushed the competition at the 2025 World Championships or the one who struggled to hold down his lunch last month? In early 2025, these two met and it was Valencia who prevailed by a 12-2 tech, but with Jackson’s last RAF performance, he’s very serious and a threat send Valencia to a 0-2 record in RAF.

Lightweight (155 lbs): Lance Palmer vs. Arman Tsarukyan

Lance Palmer was one of the ex-wrestlers to return to the mat on the inaugural RAF card. His return didn’t go so well against title contender Austin Gomez. This matchup with UFC lightweight title contender Arman Tsarukyan might be more manageable. Although Tsarukyan is 29 years old and likely in the prime of his combat sports career, he isn’t focused full-time on wrestling like Gomez.

Featherweight (145 lbs): Bo Bassett vs. Cayden Henschel

The RAF 03 card got off to a blazing start as high school senior Bo Bassett made his debut and pinned 2009 NCAA champion Darrion Caldwell in a minute. Within the last few months, Bassett has also dominated his way to titles at the Super 32, the Ironman, and the Beast of the East.

Cayden Henschel is ready to wrestle for the third time under the RAF banner. He won his first two matches via tech fall; however, his two opponents were Mugzy and 44 year-old former UFC fighter Clay Guida. Even though, Bassett is much younger than those foes and, Henschel himself, he will be on a much higher level. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t the “Bo show,” once again.

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs): Patrick Downey vs. Stephen Buchanan

Through four events, the Ironman of RAF wrestling has been Patrick Downey. He did not appear on the first card but has been on the next three and is preparing for a matchup with 2025 NCAA champion Stephen Buchanan on Saturday. Downey is 1-2 in RAF with losses to Olympic medalists Jake Varner and Yoel Romero and a win over MMA fighter Joaquin Buckley. A match against Buchanan falls somewhere in the middle of those three.

We don’t have much of a background on Buchanan on the freestyle scene, but he should be a factor on the US domestic ladder in 2026. On his way to winning the 2025 NCAA title, Buchanan handed AJ Ferrari his only loss of the 2024-25 season and defeated current #1 Josh Barr in the national finals. At the Big Ten Championships, Buchanan suffered his only loss of the year to two-match RAF veteran, Jacob Cardenas.

Heavyweight (Unlimited): Mostafa Elders vs. Steve Mocco

It seemed as if RAF’s 05 card was set - and it looked good. But then they went and brought back Steve Mocco. As someone from Mocco’s era, I love to see it. Had internet wrestling coverage been more prevalent in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Mocco would have had the same sort of hype that Bassett and Gable Steveson received coming out of high school. Mocco went on to make the NCAA finals four times, winning twice, and earning the 2005 Hodge Trophy. He later made the 2008 Olympic team.

Mocco’s opponent is Egyptian Olympian Mostafa Elders. Elders saw action opposite Wyatt Hendrickson on RAF 01 and was beaten 14-1 by Hendrickson.

Because of Mocco’s age (44), Elders should be more competitive in this contest. As is always the case with the guys coming out of retirement (actually, don’t call it a retirement, Steve didn’t leave his shoes), we have no idea what to expect from Mocco. He’s spent plenty of time coaching wrestling and MMA and also has two sons who are high-quality high school big men, so he hasn’t been too far away from the mat. 

We’re just about a week and a half away from the fifth offering from Real American Freestyle (RAF) known as RAF 05. This event will take place in Sunrise, Florida at the Amerant Bank Arena and features four championship bouts, among others.

With a commitment to hold an event per month, RAF announced on Tuesday the date and location for the previously undisclosed RAF 06 event.

RAF 06 will take place on February 28th from Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena.

This marks the second consecutive event to be held outside the typical footprint for amateur wrestling (Florida/Arizona). Hopefully, a lack of big-time wrestling events will encourage the local wrestling community to show up in full force.

If the scarcity of wrestling events isn’t an enticing enough factor for Arizona wrestling fans, the potential RAF debut of Henry Cejudo could be another reason to show up on February 28th.

Also on Tuesday, the organization announced the signing of the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and two-division UFC champion.

At the time of his Olympic win, Cejudo was the youngest American (21) to win Olympic gold in wrestling. That record was broken eight years later by Kyle Snyder.

After a couple of different ventures, Cejudo returned to the wrestling world for a run at the 2012 Olympic Team. He was unsuccessful in his second Olympic bid, losing to Nick Simmons in a very memorable match and then leaving his shoes on the mat (or throwing them into the stands) signifying his retirement.

Focusing solely on MMA, Cejudo made it to the UFC in 2014. Over the next decade plus, Cejudo fought 16 times in the UFC octagon. He held titles at the Flyweight and Bantamweight classes and fought in the UFC for the last time earlier this month.

As of Wednesday morning, no matches have been announced for Cejudo or RAF 06. Since Cejudo grew up in Arizona and still trains in the state, one might assume he’d be a central piece of this card.

We’ll have more information about Cejudo and the possibility of a RAF debut on the RAF 06 card as the event develops.

With 2025 coming to an end in less than a week, it will mark the end of the first calendar year of RAF (Real American Freestyle) as a professional wrestling organization. With their first event taking place in late August, we’re still a long way from their actual one-year anniversary. Since that initial August card, there have been three other offerings from RAF. Each card has produced its share of memorable moments and matches.

Below we’ve narrowed down those matches to a nice, round number. 10. The top-ten matches thus far in RAF. Each is memorable in its own way. Maybe because of an unforeseen upset, perhaps a fun moment, or just good old-fashioned, high-level wrestling action.

10. RAF 01: Alejandra Rivera vs. Holly Holm

RAF has reminded us that you can be entertained without every single match being Final X/World Championship worthy. Also, sports are the ultimate reality show. Sports are at their best when a moment happens that is completely unexpected. At RAF 01, Kennedy Blades was unable to compete; however, combat sports legend Holly Holm stepped in for her first competitive wrestling match. Holm brought the Cleveland crowd to their feet as she nearly pinned Alejandra Rivera. Both women were responsible for their share of fireworks and viewers were left satisfied with a fun bout.

9. RAF 02: Nate Jackson vs. Carter Starocci

RAF 02 took place in State College, Pennsylvania, and was loaded with ex-Penn State wrestlers and current Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members. Perhaps it looked like the deck was stacked for the home fans to watch their favorites get another win in their adopted hometown. The only problem was that nobody told Nate Jackson. Jackson stunned the five-time NCAA champion and got to his offense like few have been able to do against the typically stingy Starocci. The win has propelled Jackson into a match at RAF 05 against world champion Zahid Valencia.

8. RAF 04: Yoel Romero vs. Patrick Downey

In our preview for RAF 05, I said I had no idea what to expect from the ageless wonder Yoel Romero. The 48-year-old was wrestling at the Olympics before some members of RAF were even born. In his recent match with Pat Downey, Romero posted a pair of four-point moves and brought down the house with his tech fall victory. Normally, a tech fall might not be memorable or rewatchable, but it falls under the “see it to believe it” category.

7. RAF 04: Wyatt Hendrickson vs. Mason Parris

Once again, typically, tech falls aren’t must-watch unless you’re a big fan of the winning wrestler. But context matters here. Wyatt Hendrickson versus Mason Parris was the main event matchup at RAF 04 and a potential US Open/Final X type of matchup. It’s the top of the ladder at heavyweight. And it’s heavyweight. Sometimes the big guys can hand fight and jostle for position for six straight minutes. These guys aren’t those types of big men. Both have lots of offense and aren’t shy about looking to score. Both earned takedowns in the opening stanza. Actually, Parris’ aggressiveness turned the tide. Hendrickson countered a throw attempt from Paris for four points and it went downhill for the former Michigan Wolverine.

6. RAF 04: Parker Keckeisen over Zahid Valencia

The matchup between Parker Keckeisen and Zahid Valencia was a stark reminder that you need to be ready to go whenever you step on the mat at RAF. Keckeisen obviously didn’t care and wasn’t intimidated by the fact that Valencia ran through the world championships without surrendering a point just a few short months ago. Not only did Keckeisen get his hand raised, but the match was closer to a tech than a nail-biter. This result makes the upcoming Valencia/Jackson bout even more intriguing - which version of Zahid will we see? The dominating world champion or the guy who was sneaking off the mat to puke mid-match.

5. RAF 04: Dean Hamiti vs. Evan Wick

We’ve only had a couple of title changes thus far, but this one is the most recent and it went down in Fishers, Indiana. We’ll talk more about Evan Wick’s RAF debut later, but he looked like a significant favorite against Dean Hamiti, an opponent he defeated at the 2025 US Open. This was a different version of Hamiti and it led to plenty of good exchanges. Both wrestlers earned takedowns and Hamiti nearly had a fall at the end of the opening period. He ended up getting a cradle and the fall later in the bout and became the organization’s new middleweight champion.

4. RAF 03: Andriy Yatsenko vs. Spencer Lee

There’s obviously lots of fanfare and intrigue whenever Spencer Lee is involved and RAF 03 was no different. One of the most recognizable faces on the Senior level was paired against a Ukrainian that most fans were probably unfamiliar with. From the opening exchange, Andriy Yatsenko proved that he might be a problem for Lee. Although Lee had a four-point sequence, Yatsenko was able to expose Lee and did so later in the bout. With Lee up 9-4 late in the final period, Yatsenko went for broke with an outside trip for four points. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Yatsenko was awarded the fall and we had one of the most shocking upsets in RAF’s short history.

3. RAF 04: Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov vs. Dustin Plott

As far as aesthetically pleasing offense goes, this might have been the best match of them all. Both wrestlers tallied at least three takedowns in this affair. The wrestler known as Kadik might have been just a little too slick and too seasoned for Dustin Plott, but Plott had his share of moments. We’ll see Kadik again soon in his much-anticipated rematch with Kyle Dake at RAF 05.

2. RAF 03: Akhmed Tazhudinov vs. Tony Cassioppi

I’ll admit it was kind of surprising (in a good way) seeing Olympic gold medalist Akhmed Tazhudinov had signed and was booked to wrestle on RAF 03. Tazhudinov burst on the international scene in 2023 with a world title at a stacked weight class and followed with another gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Earlier this year, he took bronze at the world championships. At only 22 years old, he’s one of the bright young stars of the sport.

Tazhudinov’s RAF debut took place at heavyweight against former U23 world champion, Tony Cassioppi. The pair engaged in a back-and-forth match that few probably anticipated. While Cassioppi was looking for his third set of exposure points for the match, Tazhudinov stepped over and got a quick fall.

Someone who would have looked at this result on paper might have assumed it was all Tazhudinov, but that was not the case. Cassioppi acquitted himself well against one of the best pound-for-pound in the world.

1. RAF 01: Evan Wick vs. Jason Nolf

I remember on the season finale of the first “Ultimate Fighter,” it was a back-and-forth slugfest between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonner that helped set the tone for the modern era of MMA. Maybe not on same level, but we could look back a few years from now and see the Evan Wick/Jason Nolf as one that helped give RAF a shot in the arm during their debut card.

Despite his recent focus on grappling, it seemed like most fans still thought that Jason Nolf would take this match. It’s easy to understand why, as he was one of the most exciting and dangerous wrestlers of his era, winning three national titles for a dominant Penn State team.

Here are our initial thoughts on the match taken from the event recap article:

Some of the biggest fireworks of the evening came from the combination of Evan Wick and Jason Nolf in the middleweight championship. Wick jumped out to the lead, surprising Nolf on a low, reshot attempt. Nolf would answer by getting a takedown of his own. These were no ordinary two points. Nolf had Wick above his head, sitting on his shoulders for a moment, before finishing the takedown.

The second period provides the fans with plenty of action as Wick notched three takedowns and extended his lead to 8-2. Just as it appeared that Nolf’s wrestling layoff might catch up to him, the former Penn State great responded with a takedown of his own to trail 8-4 at the break.

The third period featured more from Nolf, who won a scramble for two points and then turned Wick to knot the score at eight (although Nolf had criteria). With around :20 remaining, Wick responded with a low, misdirection shot to retake the lead, 10-8. The Cal Poly assistant coach nearly got another takedown in the closing seconds, but Nolf flipped out of the hold. The crowd gave both wrestlers a standing ovation as Wick received his belt.

This match was a reminder that in wrestling, like other combat sports, anything can happen on any given night. On a card that featured Yianni Diakomihalis, Kyle Dake, and Wyatt Hendrickson, it was the often-overlooked Evan Wick who came away as the big winner.

The action, combined with the uncertainty and anticipation surrounding the organization’s debut, will make it a tough match to top in 2026.