Real American Freestyle Wrestling Debuts in Abu Dhabi: Rules, Stars, and What to Expect

Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling is set to make its highly anticipated debut in Abu Dhabi at the Etihad Arena on Saturday, November 14. Unlike the scripted entertainment of WWE, RAF offers authentic, unscripted wrestling with unpredictable outcomes, akin to Olympic-level competition rather than fictional narratives. However, the sport still features distinct characters, including 'babyfaces' (the heroes) and 'heels' (the villains), and pre-match press conferences can often be highly charged.

The event will be headlined by a bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington for the American's Cruiserweight Crossover Championship. Chimaev, a prominent figure in MMA and a UAE flag competitor, has a history of intense post-match confrontations. Following his swift 44-second pinfall victory over Dillon Danis at RAF 10 in June, Chimaev reacted angrily to a chokehold applied by Danis, leading to a brawl involving both teams. This incident echoes Danis's history of provoking opponents, notably Khabib Nurmagomedov after his UFC 299 victory over Conor McGregor in 2018.

A similar altercation occurred at the pre-fight press conference for RAF 14 in Las Vegas, where Danis's provocative T-shirt display incited a confrontation with Arman Tsarukyan, a close associate of Chimaev. Security had to intervene to de-escalate the situation.

The crossover appeal of RAF is drawing significant attention from UFC stars. Chimaev, despite being contracted to the UFC, is permitted by Dana White to compete in wrestling and other martial arts, though boxing is a notable exception. His opponent, Colby Covington, a former UFC interim welterweight champion, retired from MMA earlier this year. Both Chimaev and Covington are undefeated in RAF, with Chimaev boasting an unblemished record on the mat across all organizations and Covington being a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler.

The Abu Dhabi card also features other notable UFC talent, including Merab Dvalishvili, Arman Tsarukyan (ranked No. 2 in the UFC lightweight division), Umar Nurmagomedov, and Julianna Pena. Merab Dvalishvili was recently seen competing against Petr Yan for the bantamweight title at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi.

RAF Rules Explained:

Match Structure:

Matches are divided into three two-minute periods, with a 30-second break between each. This differs from traditional six-minute freestyle matches split into two three-minute halves. Overtime is not a feature of RAF matches.

Scoring:

• Takedowns: 2 points for a standard takedown.
• Back-Exposed Takedown: 3 points for a takedown where the opponent's back is exposed, or 2 points for general back exposure.
• Throws: 4 or 5 points awarded for significant throws (feet to back).
• Step-Out or Push-Out: 1 point is awarded if a wrestler steps or is pushed out of bounds.
• Shot Clock and Cautions: 1 point is awarded if a passive wrestler fails to score within a 30-second shot clock, or through caution/penalty points.

Ways to Win:

• Pinfall: Achieved by holding both of an opponent's shoulders simultaneously on the mat.
• Technical Fall: Awarded when a wrestler establishes an immediate 10-point lead.
• Decision: If the match completes the full duration, the wrestler with the higher score wins.
• Tiebreak: In the event of a tie, the wrestler who scored the last technical point is declared the winner.

Additional Rules:

• Challenge System: Wrestlers and their coaches can initiate a video review for scoring decisions.
• Passivity and Activity Clock: Competitors deemed passive are subject to a 30-second activity clock.

RAF Abu Dhabi Card:

The full lineup for RAF Abu Dhabi includes:

• Main Event: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Colby Covington (Cruiserweight Crossover Championship)
• Co-Main Event: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Neiman Gracie (Catchweight Crossover)
• Merab Dvalishvili vs. Marion Moraes (Catchweight Crossover)
• Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Giga Chikadze (Welterweight Crossover)
• Kennedy Blades vs. Bella Mir (Women's Middleweight Championship)
• Abdulrashid Sadulaev vs. Dauren Kurugliev (Light Heavyweight)
• Kyle Dake vs. Alp Arslan Begenjov (Cruiserweight Championship)
• Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Urijah Faber (Lightweight Crossover)
• Jordan Burroughs vs. Azamat Nurykau (Middleweight)
• Kyle Snyder vs. Shamil Erdogan (Light Heavyweight Championship)
• Murtaza Talha vs. Osama Elsaidy (Light Heavyweight Crossover)
• Zahid Valencia vs. Khidir Saipudinov (Cruiserweight)
• Ali Al Qaisi vs. Hamza Kooheji (Lightweight)
• Diana Avsaragova vs. Julianna Pena (Women's Middleweight Crossover)

Card subject to change.