Colby Covington and Chris Weidman will compete in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF09. Covington brings a 17-5 overall MMA record with a 12-5 UFC mark, while Weidman holds a 16-8 overall record and 12-8 UFC record. Both former UFC title contenders will test their wrestling skills outside the cage in this professional grappling setting. The matchup represents a crossover event between MMA and professional wrestling. No further details about rules, weight class, or format have been specified in the announcement.
Colby Covington and Chris Weidman are set to clash in a professional freestyle wrestling match on May 30 at RAF09, taking their MMA rivalry into a pure grappling setting.
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, has long been regarded as one of the welterweight division's most relentless wrestlers, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, Covington has built his reputation on smothering, high-volume grappling pressure.
Weidman, nicknamed "The All-American," enters with a 16-8 overall record and a 12-8 UFC ledger. The 42-year-old Long Island native trains under the Serra-Longo Fight Team banner and has wrestling credentials that date back well before his MMA career. At six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach, Weidman holds a notable size advantage. He averages 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition, underscoring that his wrestling remains a genuine weapon even at this stage of his career.
Why it matters
- Both men are former UFC title contenders with legitimate collegiate and competitive wrestling pedigrees, making this a credible grappling contest rather than a novelty exhibition.
- The event marks another crossover moment between professional MMA and the growing professional grappling circuit.
- No rules format, weight class, or scoring criteria have been announced, leaving key questions about how the match will be structured.
- For Weidman, the reach and size advantage could be a significant factor on the mat against the shorter Covington.
