RAF Abu Dhabi: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Neiman Gracie, Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Giga Chikadze Headline Massive Card Adjustments

The landscape of combat sports in the Middle East is shifting. Real American Freestyle (RAF) has announced an aggressive expansion to its highly anticipated debut event in the United Arab Emirates. Scheduled to take place at the state-of-the-art Etihad Arena on Yas Island on November 14, 2026, the promotion has revealed five high-profile matchups that bridge the gap between elite mixed martial arts and world-class freestyle wrestling.

This historic card marks the ceremonial beginning of a comprehensive five-year partnership between Real American Freestyle, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Wrestling Federation. With the international spotlight fixed firmly on the region, the newly announced bouts feature top-tier combatants from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator, the Professional Fighters League (PFL), and the Olympic wrestling circuit.

Headlining the latest wave of announcements is a fascinating catchweight crossover bout between surging UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan and veteran submission specialist Neiman Gracie. The matchup will take place strictly under freestyle wrestling rules, providing a unique tactical puzzle for both elite athletes.

Tsarukyan (24-3) has firmly established himself as one of the premier lightweights on the planet, using a relentless, wrestling-heavy MMA style to dominant effect inside the UFC octagon. While maintaining his active status in mixed martial arts, Tsarukyan has concurrently become a fixture on the competitive RAF circuit. This ruleset allows him to isolate his elite grappling base without the threat of striking, keeping his competitive edge sharp.

Across from him stands Neiman Gracie (13-6), a world-renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt representing the most legendary family in martial arts history. Gracie, who has spent the bulk of his high-level MMA career showcasing his submission prowess in Bellator and the PFL, presents a stark stylistic contrast to Tsarukyan. While Tsarukyan brings explosive takedowns and positional dominance native to freestyle wrestling, Gracie’s guard-playing and submission utility will test the boundaries of how traditional MMA grapplers adapt to a pure wrestling environment.

In a booking that is sure to send shockwaves through the broader MMA community, former UFC featherweight sensation Zabit Magomedsharipov is set to make a highly anticipated return to active competition. He will face current UFC featherweight staple Giga Chikadze in a welterweight crossover matchup.

Magomedsharipov, whose spectacular, creative, and varied skillset made him one of the most revered figures in the sport before his sudden departure from professional mixed martial arts, finds a unique home under the RAF banner. Known for his robust combat sambo and wrestling background in Dagestan, Zabit’s return under freestyle wrestling rules offers fans a chance to see his technical grappling mechanics on full display.

He will be welcomed back by Giga “The Ninja” Chikadze, an elite kickboxer turned UFC contender who is best known for his devastating “Giga Kick” body strikes. While Chikadze is recognized primarily for his world-class striking pedigree, stepping onto the RAF canvas against a master grappler like Magomedsharipov represents a bold crossover move. The welterweight parameters give both natural featherweights additional physical breathing room, removing the grueling weight cuts associated with standard MMA competition and allowing them to compete at peak athletic capacity.

Real American Freestyle is not merely leaning on celebrity MMA names to populate the Yas Island card; the promotion is also putting its legitimate championship gold on the line. Two massive title fights have been finalized for the Etihad Arena event, highlighting the purest wrestling elements the organization has to offer.

In the cruiserweight division, dominant champion Kyle Dake will defend his RAF title against rising challenger Alp Arslan Begenjov. Dake, widely considered one of the most physically imposing and technically sound American wrestlers of his generation, will look to extend his rule over the division. Begenjov enters the contest with an opportunity to upend the established hierarchy and claim a signature championship victory on a massive global platform.

On the women’s side, RAF middleweight champion Kennedy Blades will put her title on the line against the highly touted Bella Mir. Blades, an exceptional athletic talent who has taken the wrestling world by storm, faces a uniquely dangerous challenger. Mir, the daughter of former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, has successfully balanced an emerging professional MMA career with high-level wrestling and grappling accolades. This championship clash serves as a premier showcase for the next generation of elite female combat sports athletes.

Adding further depth to an already historic lineup, wrestling icon and Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs will return to the mat to face Belarusian standout Azamat Nurykau in a middleweight showcase. The bout carries profound competitive history; the two masters previously clashed in a razor-thin, instant-classic encounter at the 2019 World Championships, where Burroughs narrowly escaped with an 11-10 victory. Their reunion in Abu Dhabi guarantees technical excellence and an intense tactical rivalry fueled by a desire for redemption on Nurykau’s part.

These five high-stakes matchups will provide the ultimate runway for the event’s previously announced blockbuster headliner. The RAF Abu Dhabi card will culminate in a massive cruiserweight crossover title fight between undefeated UFC star Khamzat Chimaev and former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington.

The inclusion of Tsarukyan, Gracie, Magomedsharipov, Chikadze, Dake, Blades, Mir, and Burroughs ensures that the November 14 event at the Etihad Arena will stand as one of the most unique, talent-dense spectacles in modern combat sports history, seamlessly blending the worlds of international wrestling and global MMA.