TLDR
- Colby Covington defeated Belal Muhammad 10-0 by technical fall at RAF 13 in Miami
- The match ended in under two periods with Covington defending his RAF cruiserweight crossover title
- Covington improved to 5-0 in RAF wrestling competition after retiring from the UFC earlier this year
- He called out Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev as his preferred opponents for his next title defense
- Chimaev defeated Gilbert Burns at the same event and is now 3-0 in RAF
Sources: middleeasy.com | mmafighting.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Colby Covington successfully defended his RAF cruiserweight crossover title Friday night with a dominant 10-0 technical fall victory over Belal Muhammad at RAF 13 in Miami. The former UFC interim welterweight champion improved his record to 5-0 in RAF competition.
The match ended in less than two full periods as Covington built an insurmountable lead. An early eye poke caused a brief pause, but Covington quickly took control after the restart with a four-point takedown.
Covington added two more points before the first period ended. In the second period, Muhammad received a shot clock violation for inactivity, which gave Covington another point and brought the score to 9-0.
A final passivity violation against Muhammad added the tenth point, ending the match by technical superiority. Under RAF rules, a 10-point lead automatically stops the match.
🚨Colby Covington agrees that Justin Gaethje’s gloves looked weird. 😳
🗣“It definitely looked like there was something in his glove. Like I don't know what to say. Like it looked like off color. It didn't look like the taping of like your hands. You know how all the UFC… pic.twitter.com/l1YrqPiZUb
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) September 18, 2026
Covington Names His Next Opponents
Immediately after his victory, Covington addressed the crowd and called out several potential opponents. He mentioned Gilbert Burns, Kamaru Usman, Tyron Woodley, and Khamzat Chimaev as possible future matches.
At the post-match press conference, Covington narrowed his focus to two specific rivals. He said Kamaru Usman is “probably at the top of the list” for his next title defense.
Covington fought Usman twice for the UFC welterweight championship while both were active in mixed martial arts. He described a potential third meeting as “unfinished business.”
The other fighter Covington mentioned was Khamzat Chimaev, who defeated Gilbert Burns earlier in the RAF 13 card. Chimaev is now 3-0 in RAF competition and holds an active UFC contract.
However, Covington expressed concerns about Chimaev’s professionalism. He referenced past issues with Chimaev missing weight and stepping away from competition.
The Muhammad Rivalry
The match with Muhammad stemmed from a longstanding grudge between the two welterweights. Both fighters competed in the UFC, though they never faced each other in the octagon.
Covington said after the match that he never had any personal issues with Muhammad. He claimed Muhammad was “very jealous and envious” of his success and career achievements.
Muhammad is a former UFC welterweight champion who fought many of his title fights at the UFC Apex facility. Covington pointed out that his own fights took place at larger venues like Madison Square Garden.
Despite the pre-match tension, Covington said he and Muhammad spoke briefly after the match ended. The two rivals appeared to put their differences aside, at least temporarily.
Covington retired from mixed martial arts earlier this year to focus on his RAF wrestling career. Usman is not currently signed with RAF but has publicly stated interest in competing for the promotion.
Chimaev remains active in both the UFC and RAF. His victory over Burns at RAF 13 could set up a future showdown with Covington, though both fighters would need to agree on weight requirements.
Covington holds the RAF cruiserweight crossover title and has shown no interest in competing outside the promotion. His dominant performance against Muhammad reinforces his position as one of RAF’s top draws.
