Colby Covington secured the inaugural Real American Freestyle (RAF) crossover championship belt in a hard-fought match against Arman Tsarukyan. The event, RAF 11, took place at the UWM Panther Arena in Milwaukee on Saturday, July 18.
Covington, a former Division 1 All-American wrestler, demonstrated his wrestling skills throughout the bout. The match saw both competitors attempting to gain an advantage, with Tsarukyan initially appealing to the Wisconsin crowd by wearing a cheese head.
Covington’s Defensive Strategy Secures Win
The first round concluded with Covington taking a 3-0 lead. This included a shot clock point and a takedown after Tsarukyan attempted a single-leg. Covington’s defense proved to be a key factor in the match.
In the second round, Tsarukyan managed a clean single-leg takedown, lifting Covington and securing points when Covington bailed out to avoid exposure. However, Covington later scored two more points at the end of the round by sprawling and turning after Tsarukyan attempted another takedown.
Heading into the third round, Tsarukyan was down by three points and wrestled with increased urgency, pressing forward and attacking. Despite putting Covington in a shot clock violation, Tsarukyan was unable to break through Covington’s effective defense. Covington consistently sprawled, denying Tsarukyan any scoring opportunities.
Ultimately, Covington secured a 5-3 victory, marking Tsarukyan’s first loss in RAF. Following the match, Covington praised Tsarukyan and mentioned potential future opponents for his new title, including Belal Muhammad and Khamzat Chimaev.
Real American Freestyle’s Milwaukee Debut
RAF 11 marked the first time Real American Freestyle brought its brand of unscripted, professional freestyle wrestling to Milwaukee. The organization, which launched in April 2025, aims to provide a platform for freestyle wrestlers to develop their careers and earn a living, similar to athletes in other combat sports.
The event featured athletes from both college wrestling and mixed martial arts. The co-headline matches included the catchweight championship bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington, as well as a cruiserweight match featuring Ben Askren against Belal Muhammad.
Ben Askren, a Wisconsin native, made his return to wrestling at the event. He is a two-time WIAA champion, a two-time NCAA champion, an Olympian, and a former Bellator Fighting Championship MMA champion. Another notable Wisconsin athlete on the card was Keegan O’Toole, who won four state titles and two NCAA championships.
Real American Freestyle was co-founded by the late Hulk Hogan, entrepreneur Chad Bronstein, and coach Izzy Martinez. The promotion is available for viewing on Fox Nation, a video-on-demand streaming service. RAF 11 featured 10 men’s matches and two women’s matches.
Tickets for the event were available through Ticketmaster, with prices starting at $66.
About Real American Freestyle
Real American Freestyle is a professional, unscripted freestyle wrestling promotion. The organization’s goal is to provide a venue for freestyle wrestlers to develop into stars and earn a living. While professional, it is not scripted like traditional pro wrestling promotions such as the WWE or AWA.
The roster of Real American Freestyle includes 127 men and 23 women, drawing athletes from college and international freestyle wrestling, as well as the MMA world. The RAF 11 event took place on July 18.
Source: mmafighting.com