Colby Covington and Chris Weidman will face each other in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF 09. Covington brings a 17-5 MMA record with a 12-5 UFC mark, while Weidman stands at 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the UFC. Both former title contenders are transitioning to compete in wrestling outside of MMA. The matchup represents an unusual crossover event featuring two established UFC veterans. Additional details about the rules format or venue were not specified in the announcement.
Colby Covington and Chris Weidman are set to meet in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF 09, stepping outside the MMA cage to compete on the mat in a crossover grappling event.
Covington, known as "Chaos," carries a 17-5 overall MMA record with a 12-5 mark inside the UFC. The 38-year-old American, who trains out of MMA Masters, built his reputation largely on relentless wrestling pressure, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his UFC career. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, Covington has long been regarded as one of the most active offensive wrestlers in the welterweight division.
Weidman, nicknamed "The All-American," comes in at 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the UFC. The 42-year-old New Yorker, who competes out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team, has wrestling deeply embedded in his fighting identity, averaging 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes across his UFC tenure. At six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach, Weidman held the UFC middleweight title and built much of his game around takedowns and ground control.
Why it matters
- Both fighters are decorated UFC veterans transitioning into a competitive wrestling format, lending the event genuine credibility
- Covington's slightly higher takedown rate sets up an intriguing battle of wrestling pedigrees between two orthodox grapplers
- The matchup carries divisional nostalgia, pairing a former middleweight champion against a perennial welterweight contender in a new competitive arena
- Specific venue location and ruleset details had not been announced at the time of the initial report
