Former and future UFC fighters will meet at a professional freestyle wrestling tournament at RAF09. Gable Steveson, who has a 3-0 MMA record, will face Alexander Romanov, who holds a 21-4 overall record and went 7-3 in the UFC. The match is scheduled for May 30th. This represents a crossover between MMA and wrestling for both athletes.
Alexander Romanov and Gable Steveson are set to collide at RAF09, a professional freestyle wrestling tournament scheduled for May 30th, in a crossover bout that brings two combat sports worlds together.
Romanov, known as "King Kong," is a 34-year-old heavyweight from Moldova who carries a 19-3-0 professional MMA record. The six-foot-two, 188-centimeter fighter owns a 75-inch reach and built his reputation as a finishing specialist during his time in the UFC. His grappling background makes him a natural fit for a high-level wrestling competition of this kind.
Steveson enters the match with a 3-0 MMA record and arrives on the opposite side of the UFC pipeline — a prospect whose professional fighting career is still in its early stages. A decorated amateur wrestler, Steveson's crossover into MMA has been closely watched, and this RAF09 appearance represents another step into competitive combat outside a traditional cage setting.
Why it matters
- Both fighters have legitimate wrestling pedigrees, making this a genuinely competitive matchup beyond a novelty exhibition.
- For Romanov, who went 7-3 during his UFC tenure, the RAF09 appearance signals an active return to competition in a format that suits his base skills.
- Steveson's participation adds visibility to his combat sports profile ahead of what figures to be a continued MMA career.
- The bout underscores a growing trend of MMA fighters competing in standalone wrestling formats as the sport expands its crossover appeal.
