Real American Freestyle has announced five additional matchups for
its first Abu Dhabi event, scheduled for Nov. 14 at Etihad Arena on
Yas Island.
Arman
Tsarukyan will face Neiman
Gracie in a catchweight crossover bout, while Kyle Dake and
Kennedy Blades will defend their RAF titles against Alp Arslan
Begenjov and Bella Mir,
respectively.
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Arman Tsarukyan faces Neiman Gracie as Zabit Magomedsharipov
meets Giga Chikadze under freestyle wrestling rules
Tsarukyan (24-3), one of the top contenders in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight division, will meet
Gracie under freestyle wrestling rules. He has become a regular on
the RAF circuit while remaining active in mixed martial arts.
Gracie (13-6), a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, previously
competed in Bellator
and the
Professional Fighters League.
Dake will defend his RAF cruiserweight title against Begenjov,
while Blades will defend her women’s middleweight title against
Mir. The card will also feature former UFC featherweight Zabit
Magomedsharipov against Giga
Chikadze in a welterweight crossover matchup.
Elsewhere on the card, Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs will
meet Belarusian wrestler Azamat Nurykau at middleweight. The pair
previously met at the 2019 world championships, where Burroughs won
11-10.
RAF Abu Dhabi will be headlined by Khamzat
Chimaev vs. Colby
Covington for the promotion’s cruiserweight crossover title.
The event marks the start of a five-year partnership between RAF,
the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the UAE
Wrestling Federation.