Olympic wrestling champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev will make his RAF MMA debut within the next few months at a tournament in the United States. The Russian wrestler stated he is ready to face any opponent and responded to questions about facing Jon Jones and Brock Lesnar. Echoing Khabib Nurmagomedov's famous quote, Sadulaev said his opponent can be anyone, "even King Kong," as long as they can make 97 kg (214 lbs). The comment suggests Sadulaev will be competing at light heavyweight. This marks a significant crossover from elite-level wrestling to professional mixed martial arts.
Abdulrashid Sadulaev, the two-time Olympic wrestling champion widely regarded as one of the greatest Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestlers of his generation, has announced he will make his professional MMA debut under the RAF MMA banner within the next few months, with the event set to take place in the United States.
Sadulaev addressed speculation about potential opponents directly, stating he is prepared to face anyone willing to meet him at 97 kilograms — approximately 214 pounds — a weight that places him squarely in the light heavyweight division. When pressed on names including Jon Jones and Brock Lesnar, the Russian wrestler borrowed a line made famous by fellow countryman Khabib Nurmagomedov, declaring his opponent could be anyone, "even King Kong," so long as they can make the weight.
The crossover represents one of the most anticipated transitions from elite amateur wrestling to professional mixed martial arts in recent memory. Sadulaev built his reputation on the international freestyle wrestling circuit, where his combination of explosive athleticism and dominant grappling earned him a standing among the sport's all-time greats before he has thrown a single professional MMA punch.
Why it matters
- A decorated Olympic champion entering MMA at light heavyweight immediately raises the division's profile and draws mainstream attention to RAF MMA as a promotion.
- Sadulaev's grappling pedigree will be tested against fighters with well-rounded striking and submission skills, making his debut a genuine measure of how elite wrestling translates at the professional level.
- Name-dropping Jones and Lesnar signals that Sadulaev and his team are positioning this as a high-stakes crossover, not a low-profile entry into the sport.
- The 97-kilogram weight limit confirmation narrows the field of realistic opponents and sets expectations for how his camp intends to manage his physical frame in a combat sports context.
