Overview
- RAF officially announced on Tuesday, Sept. 29 that Colby Covington will defend the Cruiserweight Crossover Championship against Khamzat Chimaev at Etihad Arena on Nov. 14.
- Both men enter the title match unbeaten on RAF mats with Covington 5-0 and Chimaev 3-0 in the promotion, and the bout will be contested under RAF’s crossover wrestling rules for the cruiserweight title.
- Chimaev is scheduled to compete earlier at RAF 14 in Las Vegas against Robbie Lawler, a booking that keeps him active as he seeks a return to MMA competition after losing the UFC middleweight title.
- The Abu Dhabi event is part of a five-year partnership between RAF, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Wrestling Federation and will feature other stars such as Arman Tsarukyan, Henry Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
- Reporting from MMAmania says RAF explored booking Covington vs. Sean Strickland but talks collapsed over a proposed catchweight, a development that preceded Chimaev receiving the title shot and that may have shaped RAF’s matchmaking; the Nov. 14 date also overlaps the timing of UFC 334 in New York, which could affect viewership windows.