Ben Askren Returns to Face Belal Muhammad at RAF on July 18; Merab Breaks Nose at RAF Event

Ben Askren is scheduled to make a competitive return against welterweight contender Belal Muhammad at a RAF event on July 18, a matchup that reunites two fighters who share the same Roufusport gym.

Askren, 41, carries a 19-2-0 record and built his reputation as one of wrestling's most dominant forces in MMA, averaging 4.33 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. The American, who stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, has been away from competition, and Muhammad's first response when offered the fight was telling — he reportedly asked whether Askren was healthy before agreeing to step in.

Muhammad, also 37 years old and five-foot-eleven out of the United States, is currently ranked sixth in the welterweight division and eighth in the pound-for-pound standings with a 24-5-0 record. He averages 4.43 significant strikes per minute and lands takedowns at a rate of 2.14 per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat on both feet and on the mat.

Separately, bantamweight number-one contender Merab Dvalishvili disclosed that he suffered a broken nose during a recent RAF appearance while grappling with former featherweight and lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. The 35-year-old Georgian, ranked second pound-for-pound with a 21-5-0 record, said the injury was minor and downplayed any concern about its impact.

Why it matters

• Askren's return puts a recognizable former title contender back in the welterweight conversation at a high-profile exhibition event
• Muhammad's ranking — sixth at welterweight, eighth pound-for-pound — means a strong performance could sharpen his case for a title shot
• The Dvalishvili nose injury is worth monitoring given his standing as the division's top-ranked bantamweight contender