Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington are set to meet at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14, with Covington’s RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship on the line. The matchup will headline RAF’s first event in the Middle East at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. RAF officials confirmed the bout on September 29, ending the uncertainty surrounding Chimaev’s opponent for the event.
The fight will take place under Real American Freestyle’s wrestling rules, rather than MMA rules. That makes the matchup particularly interesting given both men’s backgrounds in high level wrestling and their previous careers in the UFC. Chimaev enters the contest with a 3 – 0 record in RAF, while Covington is 5 – 0 in the promotion.
Covington Puts RAF Championship on the Line
Covington captured the inaugural RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship earlier this year when he defeated Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 11.
He then successfully defended the championship against Belal Muhammad at RAF 13, winning by technical fall in the first period. The victory moved Covington to five consecutive wins in RAF and established him as one of the promotion’s leading crossover competitors.
Now, he faces arguably his biggest test in the promotion when Chimaev challenges for the championship. Covington is a two time NCAA All American wrestler and a former UFC interim welterweight champion, giving him extensive experience in both competitive wrestling and MMA.
Chimaev Brings an Unbeaten RAF Record
Chimaev has also made a strong start to his RAF career. The former UFC middleweight champion has won all three of his appearances in the promotion. His RAF victories include wins over Dillon Danis, Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns. His most recent outing came at RAF 13, where he defeated Burns by technical fall.
The Abu Dhabi contest will also give Chimaev a chance to compete in front of a home crowd. He has represented the UAE since 2023 and has become one of the country’s most prominent combat sports athletes.
However, Chimaev will have another RAF assignment before he gets his opportunity against Covington. He is scheduled to face former UFC champion Robbie Lawler at RAF 14 in Las Vegas, meaning Chimaev will compete only a few weeks before the Abu Dhabi championship bout.
A Different Kind of Chimaev vs. Covington
The matchup carries plenty of history from their time around the UFC, but this meeting will look very different from a conventional MMA fight. There will be no Octagon and no striking exchanges. Instead, the two former UFC stars will compete under RAF’s freestyle wrestling format with Covington’s championship at stake.
That places greater emphasis on takedowns, control, positioning and scoring rather than the striking and submission threats that normally define their MMA careers. Covington has already established himself in RAF, while Chimaev has quickly built an unbeaten record in the organization. Their contrasting approaches to wrestling should provide the central storyline heading into November.
RAF Abu Dhabi Features Major Wrestling Names
Chimaev vs. Covington will headline an event that includes several major names from wrestling and combat sports. Arman Tsarukyan, Henry Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev are also scheduled to compete in Abu Dhabi, although their individual opponents have not yet been announced.
The event is part of a new five year partnership between RAF, the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and the UAE Wrestling Federation. Abu Dhabi will host RAF events annually through 2031 under the agreement.
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