Ben Askren to face Belal Muhammad in freestyle wrestling match at RAF 11 on July 18

Ben Askren is stepping out of retirement for a one-time freestyle wrestling match against Belal Muhammad at RAF 11 on July 18, marking an unusual crossover between MMA and the amateur wrestling circuit.

Askren, 41, carries a 19-2-0 professional MMA record and built his combat sports career on elite grappling. The American, who trains out of Roufusport, stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach and averaged 4.33 takedowns per 15 minutes during his MMA career — a figure that reflects the relentless wrestling-based style that made him one of the most difficult fighters to deal with at welterweight. He has been clear that this appearance is strictly a one-off, and he is not pursuing any broader competitive comeback. Askren also voiced frustration with wrestlers in the RAF circuit who he believes seek out soft opposition, framing his choice of Muhammad as a deliberate move to challenge himself.

Muhammad, nicknamed "Remember the Name," is an active UFC welterweight ranked sixth in his division and eighth pound-for-pound at 37 years old. He holds a 24-5-0 record and trains alongside Askren at Roufusport. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, Muhammad has averaged 4.43 significant strikes landed per minute in MMA competition, though his takedown output of 2.14 per 15 minutes shows he is comfortable working in the grappling game as well.

Why it matters

• Askren's return, however brief, pits one of MMA's most decorated wrestlers against a current top-ten UFC welterweight in a pure freestyle wrestling format
• Both men share the same gym, adding an internal Roufusport dynamic to the matchup
• The bout raises the profile of the RAF circuit by drawing a recognizable MMA name back to competitive wrestling
• Divisional rankings are unaffected given the non-MMA format, but Muhammad's performance will draw scrutiny given his active UFC standing