TLDR
- Colby Covington withdrew from RAF Abu Dhabi due to injury suffered during a submission loss to Raul Rosas Jr.
- Chris Weidman will replace Covington to face Khamzat Chimaev in the main event on November 14
- The fight will now be for the inaugural RAF Light Heavyweight Crossover Championship instead of Covington’s cruiserweight title
- Chimaev has a perfect 27-0 wrestling record, while Weidman lost to Covington at RAF 9 in May
- The event at Etihad Arena features multiple UFC fighters including Arman Tsarukyan, Merab Dvalishvili, and Julianna Pena
Sources: bloodyelbow.com | thenationalnews.com | thenationalnews.com
The main event at RAF Abu Dhabi has changed after Colby Covington pulled out due to injury. Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will now face Khamzat Chimaev on November 14 at Etihad Arena.
Covington was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury during his recent fight under the Hype FC banner. The Miami native was submitted by Raul Rosas Jr. in less than a minute earlier this month.
The former UFC interim welterweight champion had planned to defend his RAF cruiserweight crossover title against Chimaev. However, his injury prevented a quick turnaround to the wrestling mat.
Raul Rosas Jr hit Colby Covington with the Chiwiwis after submitting him 😭
Colby: “This is the first time I’ve done any jiu jitsu in years.” pic.twitter.com/D8Am72X8Qa
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 4, 2026
New Title On The Line
With Weidman stepping in, the championship at stake has also changed. Chimaev and Weidman will now compete for the inaugural RAF Light Heavyweight Crossover Championship.
Weidman is a two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler who made history in 2013. He defeated Anderson Silva to end the Brazilian’s record-breaking UFC middleweight title reign and defended the championship three times.
The 42-year-old retired from professional MMA in January 2025. He competed once in RAF, losing to Covington at RAF 9 in May, and also suffered a defeat to Pat Downey in Fury Pro Grappling.
Chimaev, who now competes under the UAE flag, holds a perfect wrestling record of 27-0. The 32-year-old won all three of his RAF matches, including an 11-0 technical fall victory over Robbie Lawler in his most recent outing.
In MMA, Chimaev won the UFC middleweight title by beating Dricus du Plessis last August. He lost the belt to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 in May via split decision, marking his first career loss after 15 straight wins.
Stacked Card Features UFC Stars
The RAF Abu Dhabi event marks the organization’s Middle East debut. Real American Freestyle wrestling differs from WWE entertainment, featuring legitimate competition similar to Olympic wrestling.
Matches consist of three two-minute periods with specific scoring rules. Wrestlers can win by pinfall, technical fall with a 10-point lead, or decision after the full match.
Several other UFC fighters will compete on the card. Arman Tsarukyan, ranked No. 2 in the UFC lightweight division, faces Neiman Gracie in a catchweight crossover bout.
Merab Dvalishvili, who recently fought Petr Yan for the bantamweight title at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24, will face Marion Moraes. Zabit Magomedsharipov returns to competition against UFC featherweight Giga Chikadze.
Other title fights include Olympic champions Kyle Snyder and Kyle Dake defending their championships. Bella Mir will compete for the women’s middleweight championship against Kennedy Blades.
Umar Nurmagomedov faces Urijah Faber in a lightweight crossover match. Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena will also compete on the card.
Weidman addressed the fight change in a statement. “Wrestling has always been a huge part of my life, and I love competing against the best,” he said. “Khamzat is a tough opponent, and having a title on the line makes this fight even more exciting.”
The event will air on Fox Nation in the United States and Starzplay in the Middle East and North Africa region. Covington had previously won the RAF cruiserweight crossover championship by defeating Arman Tsarukyan and successfully defended it against Belal Muhammad in September.
