Former and future UFC fighters Gable Steveson and Alexander Romanov will meet at professional wrestling tournament RAF09 on May 30. Steveson holds a 3-0 record while Romanov has a 21-4 overall record with a 7-3 mark in the UFC. This represents a crossover between MMA and professional wrestling competition. The bout will take place at a Real American Freestyle event. Details about whether this is amateur or professional wrestling rules, and how it might affect their MMA careers, are limited in this announcement.
Alexander Romanov and Gable Steveson are set to collide at RAF09, a Real American Freestyle wrestling tournament scheduled for May 30, stepping outside the cage to compete on the mat.
Romanov, nicknamed "King Kong," is a 34-year-old heavyweight from Moldova standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. The verified AgentMMA database lists his overall MMA record at 19-3-0, reflecting a career built on physical dominance in the heavyweight division. His striking accuracy sits at a remarkable 75 percent, a figure that underscores the precision he brings to his game inside the UFC octagon.
Steveson, a celebrated amateur wrestling champion making his way toward professional MMA competition, carries a 3-0 record in his fighting career to date. The RAF09 event represents a rare crossover moment, pulling a current UFC-affiliated heavyweight and an emerging MMA prospect onto a professional wrestling platform together.
Why it matters
- Romanov's wrestling credentials will face a genuine test against one of the most decorated young wrestlers in the sport
- The result could shape how each fighter is perceived heading into their next MMA assignments
- Crossover wrestling events of this kind remain uncommon at the heavyweight level, giving the bout added novelty within the combat sports landscape
Details surrounding the specific ruleset governing the bout — whether amateur or professional freestyle wrestling rules will apply — have not been confirmed in the initial announcement. How the appearance might factor into the MMA trajectories of either competitor also remains unclear at this stage.
