Chimaev headlines RAF's Abu Dhabi debut on November 14 as Tsarukyan also confirmed

Khamzat Chimaev will headline RAF’s debut Abu Dhabi card on November 14, with the wrestling-MMA crossover promotion announcing a five-year partnership with the UAE’s Department of Culture and Tourism to stage international events in the emirate.

Chimaev’s opponent for the main event has yet to be announced, but the Chechen-Swedish star — who lives in Abu Dhabi — expressed enthusiasm about competing on home soil. “Abu Dhabi’s going to be crazy,” Chimaev told MMA Fighting. “Arena will be five minutes from me, from my house. So it will be cool for Abu Dhabi and wrestling. We started it to make it bigger, now I’m a part of this as well, so for me it’s a big thing.”

UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan is also confirmed for the card, just weeks after he is scheduled to face Dillon Danis in the main event of RAF 14 in October. Tsarukyan arrives in strong form, having knocked out Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331.

RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein outlined a stacked lineup beyond the MMA crossover names. “The concrete thing is that Chimaev will be the main event in Abu Dhabi,” Bronstein said. “Arman will be wrestling in Abu Dhabi. Kyle Snyder will be wrestling in Abu Dhabi, Jordan Burroughs is wrestling in Abu Dhabi, Sadulaev is wrestling in Abu Dhabi. So it’s going to be an incredible card.”

Former two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo is also expected to wrestle at the event, adding further star power to a card that will also feature RAF’s first Next Gen event in the region.

The Abu Dhabi show marks RAF’s third international destination after successful events in Georgia and Moscow, as the promotion continues its push to grow competitive wrestling on a global stage. Co-founder Izzy Martinez framed the expansion in terms of the sport’s universal appeal. “They always say the international language is wrestling,” Martinez said. “A wrestler sees another wrestler, they immediately speak the same language. They understand what they’ve been through — the trials and tribulations — in this sport… the highs and the lows. It’s an immediate respect thing.”