Former UFC rivals Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida will cross paths for the first time at RAF 11, facing off in a wrestling match. Both fighters expressed surprise that their paths never crossed during their overlapping UFC careers.
Two familiar faces from the UFC's lightweight and featherweight eras will finally share a competitive stage, as Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida are set to meet in a wrestling match at RAF 11 on July 18, 2026. Despite lengthy, overlapping careers inside the octagon, the two Americans never once faced each other in a professional MMA bout.
Edgar, nicknamed "The Answer," retired from MMA with a record of 23-11-1 across careers at lightweight and featherweight. The 44-year-old from the United States trained out of Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu and was known for relentless forward pressure, averaging 3.77 significant strikes landed per minute at a 40 percent striking accuracy. He also averaged 2.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat on the feet and on the mat. He stands five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach.
Guida, known as "The Carpenter," also comes into this contest at 44 years old, carrying a career MMA record of 38-22-0. The Team Alpha Male product out of the United States was one of the UFC's most recognizable crowd-pleasers, averaging 3.1 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. His five-foot-seven frame and a 70-inch reach gave him a slight physical edge over Edgar. Both men noted their surprise that, given how long their UFC tenures ran concurrently, a matchup never materialized during their fighting days.
Why it matters
- Both fighters are accomplished wrestlers and grapplers, making the format a natural fit for their respective skill sets.
- Guida's takedown volume advantage against Edgar's striking-heavy, aggressive style sets up an intriguing stylistic contrast even in a wrestling context.
- The bout provides longtime fans a long-awaited competitive meeting between two UFC veterans whose careers ran parallel without ever intersecting.
