Snyder and Sadulaev to Meet at First International RAF Event

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.