Arab athletes to take centre stage at RAF Abu Dhabi

A quartet of Arab athletes will make their Real American Freestyle (RAF) debuts when the professional wrestling promotion’s first event in the Middle East takes place at Etihad Arena, Yas Island, on November 14.

Bahrain’s Hamza Kooheji and Murtaza Talha, Jordan’s Ali AlQaisi, and Egypt’s Osama Elsaidy are all set to compete.

RAF is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, bringing Olympic champions, World medalists, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes together in a modern fight-night format built for today’s combat sports audience.

The inaugural RAF Abu Dhabi will be headlined by Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington for the Cruiserweight Crossover Championship, while UFC No1-ranked lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan will face three-time World BJJ bronze medalist Neiman Gracie in a Catchweight Crossover matchup.

Chad Bronstein, co-founder and CEO of Real American Freestyle, said: “RAF is about creating a stage where athletes can compete, tell their stories, and showcase their talent to a global audience. Bringing RAF to Abu Dhabi gives us an opportunity to put Arab talent on that stage and we’re excited to have Hamza, Ali, and Osama competing as part of our first event in the region.”

For Kooheji and Al Qaisi, RAF Abu Dhabi will see the two go head-to-head in a Lightweight contest under freestyle wrestling rules. AlQaisi made history in 2020 when he became the first Jordanian fighter to compete in UFC, while his combat sports background also includes kung-fu, Chinese sanda, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Kooheji believes their matchup will attract plenty of attention across the region: “Me and Ali AlQaisi are the biggest names in martial arts in the region. Both of us are grapplers, so facing him will bring a lot of eyes to the match – especially under wrestling rules. This match will decide who has the best grappling in the Arab World in the weight class, so it’s exciting.”

The Bahraini has also been following RAF’s development and is looking forward to competing in its first event in the region. “I’ve been watching RAF for some time,” he added. “It has grown fast in a short period of time, and I’m very interested in this opportunity to be competing in the first event in the region.”

Elsewhere on the card, Egypt’s Elsaidy will take on Talha in a Light Heavyweight contest.

“I was drawn to the fresh approach RAF brings to professional wrestling in Abu Dhabi,” said Elsaidy. “It combines strength, skill, and spectacle in a different kind of experience. For me, any chance to represent my name and my country in front of a new audience, at such a high organizational standard, is an opportunity I won’t let pass.”

Egypt’s wrestling heritage has also played an important role in shaping Elsaidy’s approach to the sport: “Egypt has a great history in wrestling, and that places a responsibility on me before it brings pride,” he said. “That heritage taught me discipline, patience, and respect for the fundamentals. I try to preserve it and present it with a modern spirit in every bout.”

Competing on the RAF Abu Dhabi card provides further motivation for Elsaidy, who said that competing among such high-caliber names is both an honor and a motivation. Competing alongside the best will drive him to improve, he said, adding he will use the experience to learn and prove he deserves his place at the sport’s top table. “I hope to live up to the trust placed in me and deliver a bout worthy of the fans,” he concluded.