The Real Arm Fighting (RAF) League has announced the signing of UFC middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev to their organization. This marks Chimaev's entry into the professional grappling circuit alongside his MMA career. The announcement comes shortly after fellow UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan competed successfully at RAF 8. No specific details about Chimaev's first RAF opponent or competition date were provided in the announcement. This signing represents a growing trend of high-profile MMA fighters participating in professional grappling competitions.
The Real Arm Fighting League has announced it has signed UFC middleweight contender Khamzat "Borz" Chimaev, adding one of the sport's most dangerous grapplers to its professional submission wrestling circuit.
Chimaev, 32, enters the RAF League as the No. 1-ranked middleweight in the UFC and the No. 10 fighter on the pound-for-pound rankings. Representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center in Sweden, he carries a professional MMA record of 15-1. His grappling credentials are well established inside the cage — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that suggest he will transition comfortably into a pure grappling format. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he also brings a physical presence that will test any opponent on the mats. The announcement did not include details on a first RAF opponent or a scheduled competition date.
The signing follows UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan's recent successful appearance at RAF 8, pointing to a broader pattern of elite MMA talent adding professional grappling events to their competitive schedules.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's No. 1 middleweight ranking and top-10 pound-for-pound status make this one of the highest-profile signings in RAF League history.
- His elite takedown volume and submission rate mean he arrives as an immediate contender within the organization rather than a crossover curiosity.
- The back-to-back signings of Tsarukyan and Chimaev signal that the RAF League is actively targeting active, top-ranked UFC fighters as a recruitment strategy.
- No opponent or date has been confirmed, leaving the competitive implications of the signing unclear for now.
