The RAF league has officially announced the signing of Khamzat Chimaev to their roster. This represents a significant expansion of Chimaev's competitive opportunities beyond traditional MMA. RAF is a wrestling-focused league that features both Olympic wrestlers and MMA fighters competing in grappling matches. The announcement has already generated immediate responses from other athletes, including Bo Nickal. Specific terms of the contract or planned matchups were not disclosed in the initial announcement.
Khamzat Chimaev has signed with the RAF league, a wrestling-focused organization that brings together Olympic wrestlers and MMA fighters to compete in grappling matches, the league officially announced on April 19, 2026. The deal adds a high-profile combat sports name to a format that sits outside the traditional MMA landscape, though specific contract terms and planned matchups were not disclosed.
Chimaev, 32, competes out of Allstars Training Center and represents the United Arab Emirates. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he currently holds a 15-1-0 professional record in MMA and is ranked first in the UFC middleweight division, as well as tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. His combat style translates naturally to a grappling format — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while also posting a striking accuracy of 60 percent and 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute inside the cage. That combination of elite wrestling and submission pressure makes him a credible entrant in a league designed to test those exact skills.
The announcement has already drawn attention from other athletes in the space, with Bo Nickal among those who responded publicly to the news.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's signing raises the profile of RAF considerably, given his status as the top-ranked UFC middleweight and a top-ten pound-for-pound fighter.
- A potential matchup with Bo Nickal, who also operates at the intersection of elite wrestling and MMA, would carry significant crossover appeal.
- The move expands Chimaev's competitive calendar beyond MMA without requiring a departure from the sport, a growing trend among elite fighters.
