Colby Covington and Chris Weidman will compete in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF09. Covington holds a 17-5 overall record with a 12-5 UFC mark, while Weidman stands at 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the UFC. The bout represents a crossover into wrestling for both MMA veterans. No additional context about the rules, weight class, or event location is provided in the post. This marks an unusual pairing of two former UFC contenders in a different competitive format.
Colby Covington and Chris Weidman are set to square off in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF09, stepping away from the MMA cage to compete in a distinctly different combat sports format.
Covington, nicknamed "Chaos," carries a 17-5 overall record with a 12-5 mark inside the UFC. The 38-year-old American, who trains out of MMA Masters, built his reputation as one of the welterweight division's most relentless wrestlers and pressure fighters. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, he averages 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition, making him a natural fit for a wrestling crossover.
Weidman, known as "The All-American," enters with a 16-8 overall record and a 12-8 UFC ledger. The 42-year-old Long Island native trains with the Serra-Longo Fight Team and earned his nickname through a decorated collegiate wrestling background. At six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach, he averages 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes and has long leaned on grappling as the foundation of his MMA game.
Why it matters
- Both fighters bring legitimate wrestling pedigrees to a professional freestyle format, making the matchup credible beyond novelty
- Covington's takedown output edges Weidman's on paper, but Weidman's amateur wrestling base gives him a technical argument
- The bout falls outside the UFC and offers both veterans a competitive platform in a non-MMA setting
- No details on weight class, ruleset specifics, or event location have been confirmed at this time
