Colby Covington and Chris Weidman will compete in a professional freestyle wrestling match at RAF 09 on May 30. Covington holds a 17-5 overall MMA record with a 12-5 UFC mark, while Weidman stands at 16-8 overall and 12-8 in the UFC. The crossover wrestling event will pit two accomplished MMA fighters against each other in a pure grappling format. Both fighters have strong wrestling backgrounds that formed the foundation of their MMA careers. The bout represents a unique opportunity for fans to see elite MMA competitors in a different competitive setting.
Colby Covington and Chris Weidman are set to meet in a professional freestyle wrestling match at RAF 09 on May 30, taking their longtime MMA rivalry into a pure grappling format.
Covington, nicknamed "Chaos," carries a 17-5 overall MMA record including a 12-5 mark inside the UFC. The 38-year-old from MMA Masters stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach and has built his MMA career on relentless wrestling pressure, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his UFC run. His wrestling credentials have long been considered among the best in the welterweight division.
Weidman, known as "The All-American," brings a 16-8 overall record and a 12-8 UFC mark to the contest. The 42-year-old Serra-Longo Fight Team product stands six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach and has averaged 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. A former middleweight champion, his nickname has always reflected the collegiate wrestling foundation beneath his MMA game.
Why it matters
- Both fighters bring elite-level takedown averages above three per 15 minutes, making this a genuinely competitive crossover bout
- The freestyle wrestling format strips away striking, placing the entire contest on the mat skills each fighter built his career around
- Weidman holds a four-year age and roughly three-inch height advantage, while Covington's recent activity and higher takedown rate give him contrasting advantages on paper
- The event adds to a growing trend of established MMA names competing in alternative grappling and wrestling formats outside the cage
