Real American Freestyle Expands to Abu Dhabi

Real American Freestyle is going global in a serious way.

The fast-rising combat sports promotion has announced RAF Abu Dhabi, a new international outpost that will launch on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as part of a five-year deal. The plan is not a one-off showcase in the desert. This is a long-term stake in one of combat sports’ most powerful hubs.

And they intend to arrive with noise, not a whisper.

Headlining plans center on former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, one of the sport’s most polarizing and magnetic figures. Alongside him, the promotion expects to roll out fellow UFC standouts Arman Tsarukyan and Henry Cejudo, plus a trio of amateur wrestling giants: Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev. That mix alone tells you what RAF wants to be — a crossover playground where elite MMA names and Olympic-level wrestlers collide under one roof.

From the top, RAF has talked about thinking big. On this occasion, the message matched the move.

“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 pointed to Abu Dhabi’s track record as a destination that doesn’t just host events, but builds tentpoles. “Abu Dhabi is one of the premier destinations for combat sports, with the vision and infrastructure to deliver events that resonate globally. 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 choice of Etihad Arena underlines that intent. The venue has already staged some of the biggest MMA nights of the past decade. RAF is stepping into a city that understands fight weeks, understands star power, and has the machinery to turn a card into a spectacle.

While the Abu Dhabi project looms on the horizon, RAF is not slowing down at home.

Next up is RAF 14 on Oct. 3 at the BleauLive Theater inside Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nevada — a card built to grab attention. Arman Tsarukyan will meet combat sports lightning rod Dillon Danis for the promotion’s crossover championship, a bout designed as much for headlines as for hardware. Around it sits a slate that leans heavily on wrestling pedigree and stylistic intrigue.

• Alexander Shlemenko faces Michael Page at cruiserweight in a clash of contrasting striking styles.
• Nathan Tomasello takes on Roman Bravo-Young at bantamweight, a matchup that promises scrambles and pace.
• Nick Suriano meets Dylan Ragusin at featherweight, another nod to the deep well of American wrestling talent that RAF keeps tapping.
• Jordan Burroughs, one of the most decorated wrestlers of his generation, squares off with Michael Caliendo at middleweight.

This is the template RAF wants to export: recognizable MMA names, elite wrestlers, and matchups that blur the lines between disciplines.

Abu Dhabi’s sporting power brokers have seen this model before — and clearly like what they see this time.

“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. He framed the five-year pact as part of a broader strategy to deepen the emirate’s combat sports footprint. “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 word — fixture — is key. RAF is not just chasing a big gate or a splashy debut. It wants an annual anchor, a date that fighters circle and fans anticipate, in a city already synonymous with major fights.

If the promotion can deliver on the promise of Chimaev under the lights at Etihad Arena, flanked by names like Tsarukyan, Cejudo, Burroughs, Snyder, and Sadulaev, RAF Abu Dhabi will not just be another stop on the calendar. It will be a statement about where the balance of power in combat sports is shifting, and who intends to shape its next era.