Colby Covington and Chris Weidman will compete in a professional wrestling match on May 30. The bout will take place at the RAF 09 event. Covington holds a 17-5 overall record with a 12-5 UFC mark, while Weidman is 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the UFC. This represents a crossover into wrestling for both established MMA fighters.
Colby Covington and Chris Weidman are set to meet in a professional wrestling match on May 30 at RAF 09, marking a notable crossover event for two of MMA's most recognizable figures.
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 stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach. Built around relentless pressure and volume, Covington averages 3.81 significant strikes landed per minute and 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes, numbers that reflect the wrestling-heavy, pace-driven style he has employed throughout his career.
Weidman, nicknamed "The All-American," brings a 16-8 overall record and a 12-8 UFC ledger to the crossover bout. The 42-year-old New Yorker, who trains with the Serra-Longo Fight Team, stands six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach. He averages 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition and lands 3.11 significant strikes per minute, with a striking accuracy of 45 percent. His nickname alone hints at a collegiate wrestling background that makes this format a natural fit.
Why it matters
- Both fighters carry legitimate wrestling credentials that give the professional wrestling context added intrigue beyond pure spectacle.
- Covington's elite grappling volume and Weidman's physical size and takedown output set up a genuinely competitive stylistic clash on the mat.
- The event represents a growing trend of established MMA fighters crossing over into alternative combat sports formats.
- Neither fighter holds an active UFC ranking, meaning the bout carries no direct divisional consequences for either welterweight or middleweight.
