RAF wrestling makes its Abu Dhabi debut at Etihad Arena on Saturday, November 14.
Unlike the WWE, RAF (Real American Freestyle) is the real thing, meaning it's unscripted and does not have a predetermined outcome. Think wrestling at the Olympics, not Netflix.
That's not to say there aren't babyfaces (the good guys) and heels (the bad guys). And the pre-match press conferences can be pretty explosive, too.
While most matches end pretty cordially, some have been known to cross the line.
Khamzat Chimaev, who will headline RAF Abu Dhabi was originally slated to face Colby Covington for the American's Cruiserweight Crossover Championship.
However, Covington was forced to withdraw the week of the match due to injury. He will be replaced in the main event by Chris Weidman, with the Light Heavyweight Crossover Championship on the line,
Chimaev was involved in a melee after one match that caught the world's attention.
The UAE star faced Dillon Danis at RAF 10 in June. Chimaev secured a pinfall in an astonishing 44 seconds, but was unhappy that Danis applied a chokehold.
When he got to his feet, he kicked the American up the backside, sparking a mass brawl on the mat between members of both teams.
Danis specialises in getting under the skin of others. It was at him that Khabib Nurmagomedov launched himself outside the octagon following the Russian's now infamous win over Conor McGregor at UFC 299 in 2018.
There was a similar melee at the pre-fight press conference for RAF 14 in Las Vegas last month.
Danis was on stage as part of his pre-fight commitment to speak to the media ahead of his upcoming match against Arman Tsarukyan.
During the press conference, he stood up to reveal a provocative T-shirt, goading Chimaev. Tsarukyan, a close friend of Chimaev and also on stage, tried to rush Danis, and a mass brawl ensued before security intervened.
Why are so many UFC stars competing in RAF?
Chimaev is one of the most recognised fighters in MMA.
Born in Chechnya but now competing under the UAE flag, Chimaev boasted a record of 15 straight wins in MMA and had won eight successive fights since making his UFC debut in Abu Dhabi in July 2020.
He captured the UFC middleweight title by beating Dricus du Plessis, but dropped it to Sean Strickland in his first defence at UFC 328 earlier this year.
He is still contracted to the UFC, and Dana White is happy for his fighters to cross over to compete in wrestling and other martial arts for other organisations. Boxing is where he draws the line.
His new opponent at RAF Abu Dhabi, Weidman, is a former UFC middleweight champion best known for ending Anderson's long reign as champion and who retired from pro MMA in January 2025.
Both are elite wrestlers. Chimaev has never lost on the mat in any organisation, while Weidman is a two-time NCAA Division I All-American.
Merab Dvalishvili, who recently fought Petr Yan for the bantamweight title at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24, has also been added to the card.
Tsarukyan is No 2 in the UFC lightweight rankings and will also compete in Abu Dhabi, as will other UFC stars including Umar Nurmagomedov and Julianna Pena.
So what are the rules of RAF?
Match structure
Matches consist of three two-minute periods. Traditionally, freestyle wrestling consists of six-minute matches split into two three-minute halves.
There is a 30-second break between periods and no overtime.
Scoring
Points are awarded based on action and control:
Takedowns: 2 points for a standard takedown.
Back-exposed takedown: 3 points for a back-exposed takedown or 2 points for general back exposure.
Throws: 4 or 5 points for a major throw (feet to back).
Step-out or push-out: 1 point when a wrestler steps or is pushed out of bounds
Shot clock and cautions: 1 point is awarded if a passive wrestler fails to score during a 30-second shot clock, or via caution/penalty points.
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Khamzat Chimaev trains at Abu Dhabi Martial Arts club on the outskirts of the city ahead of his upcoming bout at RAF Abu Dhabi. All photos Ruel Pableo for The National -
Khamzat Chimaev was made a UAE citizen in 2025. -
Khamzat Chimaev is more widely known as a UFC fighter but has been competing in RAF wrestling events since losing his UFC middleweight title in May. -
Khamzat Chimaev is an elite freestyle wrestler who has never lost on the mats in 27 bouts. -
Khamzat Chimaev is put through his paces at ADMA Academy. -
Khamzat Chimaev said he loves to compete in both UFC and RAF. -
Khamzat Chimaev will face former UFC champion Chris Weidman at RAF Abu Dhabi after his scheduled opponent, Colby Covington, withdrew due to injury.
How to win
A wrestler can be declared the winner before the end of the regulation periods by:
Pinfall: Holding both of an opponent's shoulders simultaneously on the mat.
Technical fall: Gaining an immediate 10-point lead
Decision: If the match goes the full distance, the wrestler with the highest score wins.
Tiebreak: If the score is tied, the wrestler who scored the last technical point is declared the winner.
Any other rules?
Challenge system: Wrestlers and their coaches can challenge scoring decisions using video review.
Passivity and activity clock: Passive competitors are placed on a 30-second activity clock.
RAF Abu Dhabi card
Here is the full card for RAF Abu Dhabi:
Main event: Khamzat Chimaev v Chris Weidman - Light Heavyweight Crossover Championship
Co-main event: Arman Tsarukyan v Neiman Gracie - Catchweight Crossover
Merab Dvalishvili v Marion Moraes - Catchweight Crossover
Zabit Magomedsharipov v Giga Chikadze - Welterweight Crossover
Kennedy Blades v Bella Mir - Women's Middleweight Championship
Abdulrashid Sadulaev v Dauren Kurugliev - Light Heavyweight
Kyle Dake v Alp Arslan Begenjov - Cruiserweight Championship
Umar Nurmagomedov v Urijah Faber - Lightweight Crossover
Jordan Burroughs v Azamat Nurykau - Middleweight
Kyle Snyder v Shamil Erdogan - Light Heavyweight Championship
Murtaza Talha v Osama Elsaidy - Light Heavyweight Crossover
Zahid Valencia v Khidir Saipudinov - Cruiserweight
Ali Al Qaisi v Hamza Kooheji - Lightweight
Diana Avsaragova v Julianna Pena - Women's Middleweight Crossover
*Card subject to change
