Khamzat Chimaev to headline Abu Dhabi debut as RAF signs five-year UAE deal
Khamzat Chimaev will headline the Middle East debut of Real American Freestyle in Abu Dhabi this November, as the professional wrestling league begins a new five-year partnership with the UAE capital.
Real American Freestyle, known as RAF, has signed the long-term agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the UAE Wrestling Federation, establishing Abu Dhabi as a recurring destination on its international calendar.
Chimaev headlines first Abu Dhabi event
The partnership will officially begin on November 14, when RAF stages its first Middle East tournament at Etihad Arena.
Chimaev, a naturalised UAE citizen who represents the country internationally, has been confirmed as the headline name for the event. His opponent will be announced in the coming weeks.
The appearance gives Chimaev the opportunity to compete in front of a home UAE audience after quickly becoming one of RAF’s most recognisable stars.
UFC and Olympic stars join the card
The Abu Dhabi event will bring together several major names from wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Confirmed athletes include Arman Tsarukyan, Henry Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
Their opponents have not yet been announced, but organisers say the full card will combine Olympic champions, world champions, NCAA standouts and crossover athletes from MMA.
The lineup reflects RAF’s strategy of combining elite traditional wrestling with personalities already familiar to combat sports audiences.
A five-year commitment to Abu Dhabi
The agreement is designed to make RAF a long-term part of Abu Dhabi’s sporting calendar rather than a one-off event.
RAF chief executive and co-founder Chad Bronstein said the league had always intended to expand into major international sports markets and described Abu Dhabi as an ideal destination because of its infrastructure and established combat sports audience.
The five-year partnership is intended to turn RAF Abu Dhabi into a recurring signature event while creating a stronger regional platform for wrestlers and combat sports athletes.
Abu Dhabi strengthens its combat sports position
Abu Dhabi has already developed a significant international reputation in combat sports through major UFC events, jiu-jitsu competitions, boxing and international wrestling tournaments.
RAF’s arrival adds another format to that growing calendar.
The league’s decision to establish a multi-year presence also reflects the wider appeal of the capital as a location capable of hosting premium live sporting events for international audiences.
Etihad Arena has increasingly become one of the region’s main destinations for major combat sports cards, making it a natural venue for RAF’s first Middle East appearance.
RAF expands internationally
The Abu Dhabi tournament will become RAF’s third international event during its debut year, following earlier events in Tbilisi, Georgia, and Moscow, Russia.
Its Moscow show sold out in September, strengthening the league’s confidence in expanding further outside the United States.
RAF recently returned to Cleveland for RAF12, celebrating its first anniversary and staging what the organisation described as its biggest event to date.
In only 12 months, the league has grown from a single Cleveland tournament into a year-round international platform with a roster that includes Olympic champions, world champions and major combat sports names.
It has also launched RAF NEXT GEN, aimed at developing emerging wrestling talent.
Chimaev returns to the spotlight in the UAE
Chimaev’s involvement will give the Abu Dhabi debut a particularly strong local connection.
The fighter has become one of the most internationally recognised athletes representing the UAE and has built a global following through both MMA and freestyle wrestling.
RAF says his dominant performances have made him one of the league’s biggest attractions.
Headlining the organisation’s first UAE event therefore places him at the centre of what could become a major new annual fixture in Abu Dhabi’s combat sports calendar.
More details to come
Tickets, additional matchups, broadcast information and event-week programming will be announced closer to the tournament.
Fans can already register their interest ahead of the November event, with organisers expecting strong demand given the combination of Chimaev, UFC names and decorated Olympic wrestlers. For Abu Dhabi, the five-year agreement represents another step in its expansion as an international combat sports hub.
And for RAF, bringing Chimaev, Cejudo, Tsarukyan, Burroughs, Snyder and Sadulaev to Etihad Arena provides a high-profile beginning to what is intended to become a long-term relationship with the UAE.
