Khamzat Chimaev will make his debut in the RAF promotion on June 13, with his opponent to be announced soon. Arman Tsarukyan is also scheduled to compete on the same card. The announcement suggests both fighters will be participating in this event while presumably maintaining their UFC commitments. Details about Chimaev's opponent and the specific bout remain undisclosed at this time. This represents an unusual situation given Chimaev's upcoming UFC 328 fight against Sean Strickland, raising questions about scheduling and promotional arrangements.
Reports emerged on May 8 that Khamzat Chimaev is set to appear in the RAF promotion on June 13, with his opponent yet to be named. Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is also said to be on the same card. Neither bout has been officially confirmed, and the circumstances surrounding both fighters' involvement in a separate promotion remain unclear.
Chimaev, who competes out of Allstars Training Center and represents the United Arab Emirates, carries a 15-1 record and sits as the number-one-ranked middleweight in the UFC, with a place at number ten in the pound-for-pound standings. The 32-year-old stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach and has built his reputation on suffocating grappling — averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes — combined with striking that lands at a 60 percent accuracy rate and 4.04 significant strikes per minute.
Tsarukyan, fighting out of American Top Team, holds a 23-3 record and is ranked number one in the UFC lightweight division. The 29-year-old Russian stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach and brings persistent output to every fight, averaging 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy, while also threatening takedowns at a rate of 3.26 per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Chimaev is reportedly scheduled to face Sean Strickland at UFC 328, making simultaneous involvement in a separate promotion an unusual and logistically complex situation.
- As the top-ranked fighter in two different UFC divisions between them, any outside commitments carry significant contractual and scheduling implications.
- The absence of confirmed opponents for either fighter leaves the competitive stakes of the RAF card entirely unknown.
- Because this report is unconfirmed, the full picture of promotional arrangements and UFC approval — if any — has not been established.
