Real American Freestyle is going global in earnest, and its next stop is one of combat sports’ most powerful hubs.
RAF Abu Dhabi has been confirmed as part of a new five-year deal that begins on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, marking the promotion’s most ambitious overseas move yet. The plan is clear: arrive with star power, stay with substance.
Expected to headline is former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, the kind of name that instantly cuts through the noise in a crowded combat sports calendar. Alongside him, RAF is lining up more UFC firepower in Arman Tsarukyan and Henry Cejudo, plus a trio of amateur wrestling giants: Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev. That’s not just a card; that’s a statement of intent.
“From day one, our ambition has been to bring RAF to the world's great sports markets, and there is no better place for this next chapter than Abu Dhabi,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of RAF. He’s not wrong about the city’s pedigree. Abu Dhabi has spent the past decade turning itself into a second home for elite combat sports, with the infrastructure, government backing, and appetite to match.
“Abu Dhabi is one of the premier destinations for combat sports, with the vision and infrastructure to deliver events that resonate globally,” Bronstein added. “This five-year partnership gives us the opportunity to make RAF Abu Dhabi a signature event and build something meaningful for athletes, fans and the region for years to come.”
The pressure on RAF now is to deliver something that feels different, not just another touring show passing through. A recurring Abu Dhabi stop, locked in over five years, suggests the promotion wants roots, not a postcard.
Before the desert debut, though, there’s business to handle in Las Vegas.
RAF 14 is set for Oct. 3 at the BleauLive Theater inside Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it reads like a mission to blend spectacle with serious grappling pedigree. Arman Tsarukyan will face combat sports lightning rod Dillon Danis for the promotion's crossover championship, a matchup built as much on personality and profile as on technique.
The rest of the card leans heavily into elite wrestling talent crossing into RAF’s format. Alexander Shlemenko meets Michael Page at cruiserweight in a stylistic clash that should pop off the screen. Nathan Tomasello takes on Roman Bravo-Young at bantamweight, Nick Suriano meets Dylan Ragusin at featherweight, and Jordan Burroughs faces Michael Caliendo at middleweight, giving the show a strong spine of high-level, mat-tested names.
On the Abu Dhabi side, the local response is already aligned with the emirate’s broader sports strategy.
“Abu Dhabi has established a strong reputation as a global destination for major sporting events, and we are pleased to welcome Real American Freestyle as a new addition to our world class events calendar,” said H.E. Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi.
“This five-year partnership reflects our ambition to bring more high-profile sporting properties to the emirate while giving fans in Abu Dhabi and visitors from around the world the opportunity to experience elite combat sports in a world-class setting. We look forward to building on this partnership and making RAF Abu Dhabi a fixture on our sporting calendar.”
That last word is key: fixture. Not a one-off, not an experiment. If RAF can back its bold talk with compelling cards and real competitive stakes, Abu Dhabi won’t just be another stop on the tour. It could become the promotion’s defining stage.
