Real American Freestyle announced that Anthony Pettis will challenge Arman Tsarukyan for the RAF middleweight crossover title in the main event of RAF 15 on Nov. 28 at NOW Arena in Chicago. Pettis is out of his scheduled RAF debut against Donald Cerrone, who is now off the card altogether. Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong, the original headliner, moves to the co-main event slot. Tsarukyan won the vacant title with a tech fall over Dillon Danis at RAF 14 and still wrestles Neiman Gracie in a non-title bout at RAF Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14.
Real American Freestyle has rebuilt its November lineup, with Anthony Pettis now set to challenge Arman Tsarukyan for the RAF middleweight crossover title in the main event of RAF 15 on Nov. 28 at NOW Arena in Chicago, as first reported by MMA Fighting.
Pettis steps into the headline spot after his scheduled RAF debut against Donald Cerrone fell apart. Cerrone is now off the card entirely. Henry Cejudo's bout with Song Yadong, the original main event, moves to the co-main slot.
Tsarukyan, the reigning champion, claimed the vacant title with a tech fall over Dillon Danis at RAF 14. Before he defends it, he is scheduled to wrestle Neiman Gracie in a non-title bout at RAF Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14, which gives him two appearances in a span of two weeks.
Cejudo, 39, is 16-6-0 and fights out of Fight Ready. The American stands five-foot-four with a 64-inch reach. His most recent recorded fight was a unanimous decision loss to Payton Talbott at UFC 323 on Dec. 6, 2025, his third straight defeat on our records. One of those losses came against Song himself, who took a unanimous decision over Cejudo at UFC Fight Night on Feb. 22, 2025. The RAF 15 co-main is therefore a rematch.
Cerrone, 43, is 36-17-0 and remains available for context as the man Pettis was due to face. The pair have history: Pettis beat Cerrone by first-round KO/TKO in January 2013 and again by unanimous decision at UFC 249 in May 2020. Cerrone's most recent recorded fight was a second-round submission loss to Jim Miller at UFC 276 on July 2, 2022.
Gracie, a 6-0-0 Brazilian from Kings MMA, brings a grappling profile built on volume. His record shows 5.77 takedowns and 5.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, though he lands just 0.77 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Pettis gets a title shot in his first RAF appearance, a fast route to the top of the promotion.
- Cejudo and Song settle their second meeting, with Song holding the 2025 decision.
- Tsarukyan faces two opponents in 14 days, first Gracie, then Pettis.
