Colby Covington and Chris Weidman will compete in a professional wrestling match at RAF 09 on May 30. Covington holds a 17-5 overall MMA record with a 12-5 UFC record, while Weidman's career statistics stand at 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the UFC. Both former UFC title contenders will be stepping away from MMA competition temporarily to participate in this professional wrestling event. The matchup represents an interesting crossover opportunity for two veteran fighters looking to compete in a different combat sports format.
Colby Covington and Chris Weidman are set to square off in a professional wrestling match at RAF 09 on May 30, marking a notable crossover appearance for two of welterweight and middleweight's most recognized veterans.
Covington, known as "Chaos," carries a 17-5 overall MMA record and a 12-5 mark inside the UFC. The 38-year-old American, who trains out of MMA Masters, stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach. In MMA competition he has averaged 3.81 significant strikes per minute along with 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes, reflecting the relentless pressure wrestling-based game plan that defined his UFC run.
Weidman, nicknamed "The All-American," brings a 16-8 overall record and a 12-8 UFC ledger to the event. At 42, the Serra-Longo Fight Team product stands six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach. He has averaged 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career, a number that underscores the collegiate wrestling pedigree he built his middleweight championship reign upon. He lands 3.11 significant strikes per minute at 45 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- Both fighters bring legitimate amateur and collegiate wrestling backgrounds into a professional wrestling format, giving the crossover event a degree of authentic grappling credibility.
- Covington's elite takedown volume and Weidman's length and wrestling experience create a stylistically compelling matchup even outside MMA rules.
- The bout temporarily removes two experienced UFC veterans from the MMA landscape, though neither fighter's future competitive plans are addressed in the announcement.
- RAF 09 gains notable mainstream MMA name recognition with two former UFC title contenders on the card.
