Real American Freestyle has confirmed the full lineup for RAF 13 on September 18 at the Watsco Center in Miami, headlined by a cruiserweight crossover title defense between Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad.
Covington, the reigning RAF cruiserweight crossover champion and a former UFC interim welterweight titleholder, defends his belt against Muhammad, the former UFC welterweight champion. The two nearly came to blows at a press conference earlier this year, and RAF has built the bout as a genuine grudge match.
The co-main event brings back a familiar rivalry. Khamzat Chimaev meets Gilbert Burns in a catchweight crossover, a rematch of their April 2022 UFC 273 fight that Chimaev won by unanimous decision after Burns dragged him into deep water for the first time in his career. Burns retired from MMA in April following five straight losses and has since shifted his focus to grappling, submitting Horlando Monteiro in 82 seconds at a UFC BJJ event in June. RAF 13 marks his promotional debut.
It’s a busy stretch for Chimaev, who pinned Tyron Woodley in 94 seconds at RAF Moscow on September 5. He also submitted Dillon Danis at RAF 10 in June, making the Burns rematch his third RAF appearance in four months.
Full RAF 13 Card
Two other title fights round out the card. Kennedy Blades defends the women’s middleweight championship against Diana Avsaragova, and Austin DeSanto puts the bantamweight title on the line against Arsen Harutyunyan. Jason Nolf and Julian Ramirez also meet for the middleweight championship.
Elsewhere on the lineup, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold takes on Joe Pyfer in a light heavyweight crossover, Michael Caliendo faces Timur Bizhoev at welterweight, and Georgios Kougioumtsidis meets Chance Marsteller at cruiserweight.
The event airs exclusively on FOX Nation.
