Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington Finally Booked for Wrestling Title Fight
Khamzat Chimaev challenges Colby Covington for the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14.
The fight that UFC fans begged for since 2022 is finally happening, just not in the Octagon. Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington will collide at Real American Freestyle's first Middle East event on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Covington puts his RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship on the line. He won the inaugural belt in July with a victory over Arman Tsarukyan and defended it in September with a 10-0 technical fall over Belal Muhammad. His RAF record stands at a perfect 5-0.
Chimaev has been equally dominant on the mat, going 3-0 in RAF competition with pins over Dillon Danis and Tyron Woodley plus a technical fall victory over Gilbert Burns. Before the Covington title shot, Chimaev has one more match: he faces Robbie Lawler at RAF 14 in Las Vegas on Oct. 23.
Dana White floated the MMA matchup back in 2022, with Chimaev saying the promotion discussed a potential bout that March. It never materialized inside the cage. Four years later, they settle it under freestyle wrestling rules instead.
The Abu Dhabi card also features Henry Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder, per LowKick MMA.
This is the fight we've wanted for four years, and I'll take it any way I can get it. Chimaev vs. Covington on the wrestling mat might actually be more fun than the MMA version at this point. Covington has been a machine in RAF, going 5-0 with dominant performances over legit UFC names. Chimaev has been pinning everybody in sight.
The venue is perfect. Abu Dhabi rolls out the red carpet for combat sports, and this card with Cejudo, Burroughs and Snyder already looks stacked. My pick? Chimaev is a different animal on the ground. Covington's wrestling is elite, no question, but Borz has that raw power and scramble ability that could be the difference. I think Chimaev gets the tech fall in the second period.
RAF has quietly become the best side hustle in MMA. These crossover matches actually mean something now.
