Former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will headline when Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling makes its debut in Abu Dhabi in November.
On Monday, the RAF 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.
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.
“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, secretary general of the UAE Wrestling Federation, said the 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,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
Chimaev, better known to audiences for his performances in mixed martial arts that carried him to UFC middleweight title glory, has quickly emerged as one of RAF’s biggest stars, bringing dominant performances and an enormous global following to the league.
A naturalised UAE citizen who represents the country internationally, he will headline RAF’s Abu Dhabi debut in front of a home crowd at Etihad Arena on November 14.
RAF Abu Dhabi’s main event will be followed by a full card of Olympic champions, world champions, NCAA standouts and leading crossover athletes from wrestling and MMA.
