Chris Weidman meets Colby Covington in RAF09 co-main event, Gable Steveson headlines
Olympic Champion Gable Steveson, Chris Weidman to Make Debuts at RAF09 in Dallas, May 30th
RAF comes to Texas for the first time, featuring Gable Steveson debuting against Alexandr Romanov & Chris Weidman’s first RAF match facing off versus Colby Covington
DALLAS, TX (April 7, 2026) — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, today announced that RAF09 will take place May 30th, at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
The 7,000-seat arena — home to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings and the University of Texas at Arlington — will host RAF’s first event in Texas, bringing one of the fastest-growing properties in combat sports to one of the country’s premier fight markets.
“We’re excited to bring RAF to Texas for the first time and to a market that lives and breathes big-time sports,” said Chad Bronstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Real American Freestyle. “The momentum behind this league continues to build, and we’re delivering matchups you simply can’t get anywhere else. Dallas is going to feel that on May 30.”
The main event will feature Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson making his RAF debut in the heavyweight division against Alexandr Romanov. Romanov, nicknamed “King Kong” throughout his prolific MMA career, competed at RAF02 against Mason Parris. He has previously participated in both Senior World and European freestyle wrestling championships.
In the co-main event, Colby Covington will face Chris Weidman, as Weidman makes his RAF debut. Covington returns following his victory over Dillon Danis at RAF07 and looks to remain undefeated in the promotion. Weidman, a former UFC middleweight champion best known for dethroning Anderson Silva and defending his title three times, also brings a strong wrestling pedigree as a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and Hofstra Hall of Famer. The matchup brings two elite competitors back to their wrestling roots.
All RAF events stream exclusively on FOX Nation. Further matchups for RAF09 will be announced in due course. Tickets will go on sale later this week, and fans can sign up for pre-sale access at realamericanfreestyle.com
RAF has quickly established itself as a major force in combat sports, building the category’s most engaged fanbase in under a year. The league has expanded how fans experience wrestling — from live events to Fan Zones, youth clinics, and collectibles — creating new entry points for the next generation of athletes and fans.
At the same time, RAF’s combination of star power, high stakes, and historic matchups has driven rapid digital growth, generating more than 200 billion earned media impressions and over 250 million social views per event. RAF’s next event, RAF08, takes place April 18 at Philadelphia’s Liacouras Center, headlined by Henry Cejudo vs Merab Dvalishvili, with Arman Tsarukyan vs Urijah Faber in the co-main event.
