UFC Champ Khamzat Chimaev Signs with Real American Freestyle

The undefeated middleweight champion joins the new combat sports promotion.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:40am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the powerful movements and grappling techniques of a mixed martial artist, rendered in Picasso's signature cubist style.Khamzat Chimaev's unorthodox wrestling style and physical dominance in the octagon are deconstructed into a cubist masterpiece.Philadelphia Today

UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has signed with the new combat sports promotion Real American Freestyle (RAF). Chimaev, who is 15-0 in his MMA career, is the latest high-profile athlete to join RAF, which aims to feature previously impossible matchups between the world's best combat sports athletes.

Why it matters

Chimaev's signing with RAF is a major coup for the new promotion, as he is one of the fastest-rising stars in MMA. His dominant wrestling-based style has allowed him to quickly rise to the top of the UFC middleweight division, and his move to RAF will expose him to a new audience and potentially set up intriguing cross-over matchups.

The details

Chimaev, who previously competed in freestyle wrestling in Sweden and won two national championships, has been undefeated in his 15-fight MMA career. He won the UFC middleweight title in August 2025 with a victory over former champion Dricus du Plessis. RAF touted Chimaev's 'standout wrestling base' as a key factor in his signing, noting that the promotion aims to feature 'previously impossible matchups' between top combat sports athletes.

  • Chimaev signed with RAF on April 19, 2026.
  • Chimaev won the UFC middleweight title on August 16, 2025.

The players

Khamzat Chimaev

The undefeated UFC middleweight champion who has signed with the new combat sports promotion Real American Freestyle.

Real American Freestyle (RAF)

A new combat sports promotion that aims to feature previously impossible matchups between the world's best athletes from various disciplines.

Dricus du Plessis

The former UFC middleweight champion who lost the title to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025.

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What’s next

RAF will feature Chimaev in upcoming events, including RAF09 on May 30th in Dallas and RAF10 on June 13th in St. Louis.

The takeaway

Khamzat Chimaev's signing with Real American Freestyle is a significant move that will expose the UFC middleweight champion to a new audience and potentially set up intriguing cross-over matchups with top athletes from other combat sports disciplines.