Tsarukyan to face Gracie as five new bouts added to maiden RAF Abu Dhabi card

Arman Tsarukyan will face Neiman Gracie in a Catchweight Crossover matchup at the inaugural Real American Freestyle (RAF) Abu Dhabi, setting up a heated showdown at Etihad Arena, Yas Island, on Saturday, November 14.

The contest leads five new additions to the Middle East’s first RAF event. American Kyle Dake will defend his Cruiserweight Championship against Turkmenistan’s Alp Arslan Begenjov, while compatriot Kennedy Blades puts her Women’s Middleweight title on the line against fellow US athlete Bella Mir.

Russia’s Zabit Magomedsharipov takes on Giga Chikadze of Georgia in a Welterweight Crossover bout, while Team USA Olympic gold medallist Jordan Burroughs meets Belarusian Azamat Nurykau at Middleweight.

Tsarukyan, UFC’s No1-ranked lightweight contender with an 11-2 UFC record, heads to the UAE capital with a 7-1 RAF record, including five wins by technical fall. He faces Brazilian Gracie, a three-time World BJJ bronze medallist with a 13-6 professional MMA record, in a contest that will test both athletes under freestyle wrestling rules.

Dake is unbeaten in six RAF appearances. A two-time Olympic bronze medallist and four-time world champion, he is also the only wrestler to win NCAA titles in four different weight classes. His challenger Begenjov is a U20 world champion, three-time Asian U23 medallist, and 2026 senior Asian bronze medallist.

Reigning RAF Middleweight champion Blades has recorded six technical falls in RAF without surrendering a point. Her illustrious résumé includes a 2024 Olympic silver medal, 2025 World bronze medal, and U23 World silver medal. Blades defends against a 2026 NCAA Champion and U23 World Team member in Mir, who also holds a 4-1 professional MMA record.

Magomedsharipov enters RAF with an 18-1 professional MMA record, including a perfect 6-0 UFC run and a 14-fight winning streak. His opponent, Chikadze, is an experienced MMA featherweight and accomplished kickboxer, with two world kickboxing titles and multiple world and European karate championships.

Burroughs and Nurykau will renew a rivalry that began with a closely contested match at the 2019 World Championships, where the American prevailed 11–10. Seven years later, the Olympic champion and six-time world champion will face the Belarusian again on the RAF stage. Nurykau is a European Championships bronze medallist who has competed at seven World Championships, reaching the bronze-medal match four times.

The inaugural RAF Abu Dhabi event marks the start of a five-year partnership between Real American Freestyle, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Wrestling Federation. It follows international RAF events in Tbilisi, Georgia and Moscow, Russia as it continues to build its global professional wrestling platform.