After a successful event in Georgia, Real American Freestyle (RAF) has another international event scheduled for September 5 in Russia. This card, however, could potentially be in jeopardy due to a new report that the event violates U.S. sanctions and a presidential order — and RAF’s U.S. broadcaster, Fox Nation, has seemingly pulled out of the event.
The RAF Moscow event is scheduled to take place at the VTB Arena, owned and operated by VTB Arena LLC, a subsidiary of VTB Bank. Per a report from ESPN’s Robert Klemko, these establishments are listed as ones that American citizens, per U.S. sanctions, are forbidden from doing business with without federal government approval.
VTB has played a role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine over the last several years. The U.S. sanctions the RAF is potentially violating are a couple of the many Russia has faced since the invasion that took place in 2022.
When ESPN reached out to Fox for comment about these issues, Fox said that Fox Nation “will not be streaming the Moscow episode of Real American Freestyle.”
RAF CEO Chad Bronstein declined to answer specific questions from Klemko about the event’s legality, but he ensured RAF Moscow would be held in compliance with U.S. sanctions and presidential orders.
“Our focus in Moscow is the same as it is everywhere RAF competes: the athletes, the competition and growing the sport of wrestling on an international stage,” the statement read. “RAF is committed to operating in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, and we are working with independent U.S. sanctions counsel to ensure that remains the case.”
Two sanctions policy experts ESPN spoke to said the event does conflict with said U.S. sanctions and claim doubt that the U.S. Department of the Treasury may give the promotion an exemption. ESPN’s report also lists statements from both Democratic and Republican Party members critical of the event taking place.
RAF Moscow is expected to be headlined by former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev taking on former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
