TLDR
- Colby Covington turned down a wrestling match with Sean Strickland after they couldn’t agree on weight (190 vs 200 pounds)
- Covington denied the reports on social media, saying he would wrestle Strickland at any weight
- Khamzat Chimaev will now challenge Covington for the RAF Cruiserweight title on November 14 in Abu Dhabi
- Covington is 5-0 in RAF wrestling with wins over Luke Rockhold, Dillon Danis, Chris Weidman, Arman Tsarukyan, and Belal Muhammad
- Chimaev will face Robbie Lawler on October 24 before his title match against Covington
Sources: yardbarker.com | mmafighting.com | mmamania.com
Colby Covington will not wrestle Sean Strickland at Real American Freestyle 14 in Las Vegas on October 23 after negotiations broke down over a 10-pound weight disagreement. RAF officials had explored booking the matchup between the two UFC rivals before the deal fell apart.
According to sources close to the negotiations, Strickland was interested in the wrestling match but wanted it contested at a 200-pound catchweight. Covington, who competes at cruiserweight in RAF, requested the bout take place at 190 pounds instead.
The two sides could not agree on the weight, and Covington ultimately declined the matchup. The former UFC title challenger later denied turning down the fight on social media.
🚨 Colby Covington turned down a wrestling match against Sean Strickland at RAF 14 in Las Vegas on October 23, per @AlexBehunin
Strickland was interested but requested a 200-pound catchweight, while Covington wanted to compete at 190 pounds pic.twitter.com/InHEYc6kZn
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 29, 2026
“Fake news,” Covington tweeted. “I’ll wrestle @sstricklandmma at any weight he wants October 23rd @RAFWrestlingUSA in Las Vegas.”
Strickland and Covington have a history of verbal conflicts despite sharing similar political views. The UFC middleweight champion has repeatedly called Covington a “fraud” and criticized his wrestling persona.
Strickland also condemned Covington for mocking Leon Edwards’ late father during a UFC press conference. He called the incident a “coward move” and said a “real American” should respect the parent who helped raise a champion.
Covington’s RAF Success and Upcoming Title Defense
Covington retired from MMA in May after losing to Joaquin Buckley via cut-induced TKO in December 2024. Since joining RAF, he has compiled a perfect 5-0 record in freestyle wrestling.
His wins include victories over Luke Rockhold, Dillon Danis, Chris Weidman, and Arman Tsarukyan. Covington captured the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship by defeating Tsarukyan via points at RAF 11 in July.
He successfully defended the title earlier this month with a first-period technical fall win over Belal Muhammad at RAF 13. Covington has indicated he has not completely ruled out a return to MMA competition.
With the Strickland matchup now off the table, RAF moved forward with a different opponent for Covington. The promotion officially announced that Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Covington for the cruiserweight title.
Chimaev Steps In for Title Shot
The Covington vs Chimaev title match will headline RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14 at Etihad Arena. This will mark Covington’s second title defense since winning the championship.
Chimaev holds a 3-0 record in RAF with wins over Dillon Danis, Tyron Woodley, and Gilbert Burns. He scored pinfall victories against Danis and Woodley, while defeating Burns via technical fall at RAF 13.
Before facing Covington, Chimaev will compete at RAF 14 in Las Vegas on October 24 against former UFC champion Robbie Lawler. That bout serves as the co-main event of the card.
Chimaev lost the UFC middleweight title to Strickland at UFC 328 in May 2026. He has expressed interest in a rematch with Strickland for the UFC belt.
Covington made his professional decision to stay at his preferred weight class rather than move up 10 pounds to face the larger Strickland. Strickland has competed at both middleweight and light heavyweight during his UFC career, making him a bigger opponent than Covington’s typical competition.
The RAF Abu Dhabi card on November 14 will also feature other high-profile wrestlers including Jordan Burroughs, Henry Cejudo, and Kyle Snyder. Arman Tsarukyan is scheduled to compete at the event with an opponent to be announced.
