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RAF Abu Dhabi: Chimaev vs Covington headline Etihad Arena wrestling event

The UAE's Khamzat Chimaev faces Colby Covington at the first RAF Abu Dhabi event on 14 November, with a stacked card of wrestling and MMA crossover bouts at Etihad Arena.

By Arabia Today Newsroom
Wrestlers competing on a mat in an arena

Illustration: AI-generated image

Real American Freestyle (RAF) makes its Middle East debut on Saturday, November 14, when the UAE's Khamzat Chimaev headlines a stacked card against Colby Covington at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

The event marks the start of a five-year partnership between RAF, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and the UAE Wrestling Federation, following earlier international events in Tbilisi and Moscow.

Unlike scripted entertainment wrestling, RAF is an unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league that brings together Olympic champions, world medallists, NCAA standouts and top mixed martial arts crossover athletes in a modern fight-night format.

Matches follow adapted freestyle rules: each contest consists of three two-minute periods with a 30-second break between rounds and no overtime. Wrestlers earn points for takedowns, back exposure, throws and step-outs, and can win early by pinfall — holding both shoulders to the mat — or by technical fall after building a 10-point lead. A 30-second activity clock discourages passivity, and coaches can challenge scoring decisions through video review.

Chimaev, who competes under the UAE flag and is undefeated in freestyle wrestling, faces Covington, a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler and former UFC interim welterweight champion. The two share a well-documented rivalry that began during their time in the UFC.

The co-main event sees top UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan face Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Neiman Gracie in a catchweight crossover bout. Other notable names on the card include Umar Nurmagomedov against Urijah Faber, Merab Dvalishvili versus Marion Moraes, and women's middleweight champion Kennedy Blades defending her title against Bella Mir. Olympic gold medallist Jordan Burroughs and reigning RAF light heavyweight champion Kyle Snyder are also set to compete.

Four Arab athletes will make their RAF debuts: Bahrain's Hamza Kooheji and Murtaza Talha, Jordan's Ali Al Qaisi, and Egypt's Osama Elsaidy.

Tickets start from Dh95 and are available at etihadarena.ae and ticketmaster.ae.

#RAF Abu Dhabi#freestyle wrestling#Khamzat Chimaev#Colby Covington#Etihad Arena#combat sports

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