Khamzat
Chimaev will face former
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion Chris
Weidman after an injury forced Colby
Covington out of their scheduled wrestling match at RAF Abu
Dhabi on Nov. 14.
Real American Freestyle announced the replacement Monday. The bout
will headline the event at Etihad Arena, with the promotion’s light
heavyweight crossover championship at stake. Chimaev was originally
scheduled to challenge Covington for the cruiserweight crossover
title.
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Chris Weidman replaces Colby Covington for Khamzat Chimaev’s
RAF Abu Dhabi wrestling title match on Nov. 14
Covington had won five consecutive RAF matches before withdrawing.
His withdrawal follows a submission loss to UFC bantamweight
Raul
Rosas Jr. in a grappling contest at Hype FC in Rome on Nov. 3.
Rosas secured a rear-naked choke in approximately 40 seconds.
Chimaev, a former UFC middleweight champion, has earned RAF
victories over Dillon
Danis, Tyron
Woodley and Gilbert
Burns. He also defeated Robbie
Lawler at RAF 14 in October.
Weidman lost a decision to Covington in his only previous RAF
appearance, at RAF 9 in May.
NEW MAIN EVENT Khamzat
Chimaev will now face former MMA Middleweight Champion Chris
Weidman for the RAF Light Heavyweight Crossover Championship on
November 14 at Etihad Arena. Weidman steps in after Colby
Covington was forced to withdraw due to injury. RAF ABU
DHABI. NOV 14. 🇦🇪 Tickets in bio. Watch on @foxnation in the U.S.
and @Starzplay in MENA— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA)
November 9, 2026