Colby Covington and Chris Weidman will compete in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF 9. Covington holds a 17-5 record overall with a 12-5 UFC record, while Weidman stands at 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the UFC. This represents a departure from MMA competition for both fighters, who will test their skills in pure wrestling. The announcement marks an unusual crossover event for two established UFC veterans. No location for RAF 9 was specified in the post.
Colby Covington and Chris Weidman are set to step away from MMA and meet in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF 9, in what shapes up as an unusual crossover contest between two long-established UFC veterans.
Covington, known as "Chaos," carries a 17-5 overall record with a 12-5 mark inside the UFC. The 38-year-old American trains out of MMA Masters and has built his reputation largely on relentless wrestling and forward pressure. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, he averages 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition, one of the more productive rates among welterweights who have competed at the highest level.
Weidman, nicknamed "The All-American," brings a 16-8 overall record and a 12-8 UFC ledger to the bout. The 42-year-old New Yorker trains with the Serra-Longo Fight Team and earned his reputation as a decorated collegiate wrestler long before he became UFC middleweight champion. At six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach, he averages 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA and lands 3.11 significant strikes per minute, reflecting a well-rounded game built on a wrestling foundation.
No location for RAF 9 was specified in the announcement.
Why it matters
- Both fighters bring genuine high-level wrestling pedigrees, making this a credible pure grappling contest rather than a novelty exhibition.
- Covington's 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes versus Weidman's collegiate wrestling background sets up a compelling stylistic question about whose wrestling translates best outside MMA rules.
- The event represents a growing trend of established combat sports athletes competing across disciplines, adding visibility to professional freestyle wrestling.
