The RAF wrestling league has officially announced the signing of Khamzat Chimaev. Details about the terms of the contract or when Chimaev will make his RAF debut were not provided in the announcement. This marks Chimaev's expansion into competitive wrestling alongside his MMA career. The signing represents a significant acquisition for the wrestling promotion. No further information about specific matches or opponents was included.
The RAF wrestling league has officially announced the signing of Khamzat "Borz" Chimaev, expanding the Swedish-Chechen fighter's competitive career beyond MMA and into organized wrestling.
Chimaev, 32, currently competes out of Allstars Training Center and represents the United Arab Emirates in MMA competition. The number-one ranked middleweight in the UFC and the tenth-ranked fighter on the pound-for-pound list, he carries a professional MMA record of 15-1-0. His grappling credentials have long been evident inside the cage — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, a figure that reflects the elite wrestling base he will now bring to the RAF format. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev is an imposing physical presence in any combat sport setting.
The announcement from the RAF confirmed the signing but offered no details on contract terms, scheduled debut dates, or potential opponents. The move signals that Chimaev is pursuing competitive wrestling as a serious parallel endeavor rather than a promotional side project.
Why it matters
- Chimaev enters the RAF as one of the highest-profile active MMA fighters to join a competitive wrestling league, lending immediate credibility to the promotion.
- His UFC ranking and pound-for-pound status mean any wrestling appearances will draw significant crossover attention from the MMA fanbase.
- How the demands of a wrestling competition schedule interact with his MMA commitments at middleweight remains an open question, given no timeline has been disclosed.
