Chimaev returns to RAF mats to face former UFC champion Woodley in Moscow main event

Khamzat Chimaev squares off with former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in the RAF Moscow main event at VTB Arena on Saturday, headlining a card that also features Olympic wrestling royalty and a host of prominent MMA names.

It is Chimaev’s second outing on the RAF mats. He made his debut in June with a pinfall victory over Dillon Danis, and now steps up to face Woodley, who is riding his own RAF win over Joaquin Buckley — his first combat sports victory of any kind since 2018. The two men share a UFC pedigree: Chimaev held the middleweight title at 185 pounds, while Woodley reigned as welterweight champion at 170.

The co-main event pits Russian Olympic wrestling champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev against American Zac Braunagel. Sadulaev claimed freestyle wrestling gold at both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics before making his RAF debut in July against fellow Olympic champion Kyle Snyder — a meeting Snyder won by pinfall at RAF Georgia in what was billed as a continuation of their storied rivalry. Snyder also features on the Moscow card, this time defending the light heavyweight championship against Akhmed Tazhudinov.

The undercard is equally deep. UFC talents Bo Nickal and Shara Magomedov are both in action, with Nickal taking on Shirvani Muradov and Magomedov facing former Bellator standout Neiman Gracie. Former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Anatoly Malykhin meets Pouya Rahmani, while decorated wrestling stars Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Dake compete in their respective bouts. Women’s middleweight gold is also on the line as Kennedy Blades faces Vusala Parfianovich.

Full RAF Moscow Match Card

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Tyron Woodley

Abdulrashid Sadulaev vs. Zac Braunagel

Kyle Snyder vs. Akhmed Tazhudinov — light heavyweight championship

Kyle Dake vs. Kadik 2 — cruiserweight championship

Kennedy Blades vs. Vusala Parfianovich — middleweight championship

Shara Magomedov vs. Neiman Gracie

Anatoly Malykhin vs. Pouya Rahmani

Yusuf Raisov vs. Marif Piraev

Zahid Valencia vs. Ibragim Kadiev

Jordan Burroughs vs. Magomed Kurbanaliev

Bo Nickal vs. Shirvani Muradov

Jason Nolf vs. Ismail Khaniev

Vito Arujau vs. Soslan Ramonov