Real American Freestyle (RAF) has officially announced five additional high-profile matchups for its blockbuster inaugural event in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for November 14 at the landmark Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The card, which marks a major milestone for the combat sports promotion, continues to round out an ambitious lineup that blends elite freestyle wrestling talent with crossover MMA superstars.
Among the newly added contests, top Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is set to step onto the RAF mats to face high-level submission specialist Neiman Gracie in a compelling catchweight crossover bout. Additionally, reigning champions Kyle Dake and Kennedy Blades will put their respective RAF titles on the line, defending against Alp Arslan Begenjov and Bella Mir, respectively, in what promises to be a stern test of championship mettle.
Arman Tsarukyan faces Neiman Gracie as Zabit Magomedsharipov meets Giga Chikadze under freestyle wrestling rules
The expanding fight card underscores RAF’s unique appeal in bridging the gap between mixed martial arts and pure freestyle wrestling. Arman Tsarukyan, boasting a formidable 24-3 professional mixed martial arts record and sitting near the absolute pinnacle of the UFC lightweight division, has increasingly made waves on the RAF circuit while maintaining his active status in MMA. His opponent, Neiman Gracie (13-6), brings a world-class grappling pedigree to the mat. As a seasoned Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist who has previously showcased his elite submission skills under the banners of Bellator MMA and the Professional Fighters League, Gracie will look to neutralize Tsarukyan’s relentless pace and well-rounded skill set under strict freestyle wrestling rules.
The cross-disciplinary intrigue does not stop with Tsarukyan and Gracie. The Abu Dhabi card will also feature a deeply fascinating welterweight crossover matchup between former UFC featherweight standout Zabit Magomedsharipov and dynamic striker Giga Chikadze. Magomedsharipov, whose dazzling technical repertoire and grappling acumen made him one of the most beloved and dominant figures in the UFC before his hiatus, will test his freestyle wrestling capabilities against Chikadze, a prominent UFC striker renowned for his devastating kickboxing and striking precision.
Championship stakes are heavily woven into the fabric of the November 14 event. Kyle Dake, a towering figure in American wrestling history, will step out to defend his RAF cruiserweight title against the formidable Alp Arslan Begenjov. Dake’s technical mastery and tactical awareness on the mat have made him a pillar of the promotion. Meanwhile, the dominant Kennedy Mir will seek to turn back the challenge of rising grappling and combat sports talent Bella Mir in defense of her women’s middleweight championship, ensuring high drama and fierce competition in the lower-weight divisions.
Further deepening the card’s historical and competitive significance, Olympic gold medalist and wrestling icon Jordan Burroughs is set to square off against Belarusian standout Azamat Nurykau in a compelling middleweight showdown. Combat sports historians and hardcore wrestling fans will immediately recognize the matchup as a high-stakes rematch of their fierce encounter at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships, where Burroughs narrowly edged out a thrilling 11-10 victory. Nurykau will undoubtedly enter the Etihad Arena eager to exact revenge and alter the narrative against one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in modern history.
The entire blockbuster event will be anchored by a massive main event that was previously announced to much fanfare: Khamzat Chimaev squaring off against Colby Covington for the promotion’s prestigious cruiserweight crossover title. The Chimaev-Covington clash serves as the centerpiece for a landmark evening of combat sports that carries immense geopolitical and athletic significance for the region.
The inaugural Abu Dhabi event is not merely a standalone fight card; it formally inaugurates a groundbreaking, five-year strategic partnership forged between Real American Freestyle, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Wrestling Federation. This multi-year collaboration aims to establish the region as a premier global hub for elite freestyle wrestling and combat sports entertainment, bringing world-class athletes, championships, and unforgettable athletic spectacles to Yas Island through November 14 and beyond.
