Olympic gold medallist Burroughs meets UFC contender Brady in RAF 12 main event

Olympic wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs will make his Real American Freestyle debut against UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady in the main event of RAF 12 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on August 22, the promotion announced on Friday.

Burroughs, 37, is widely regarded as one of the greatest American wrestlers of all time. A two-time NCAA national champion for Nebraska, he went on to dominate the senior 74-kg circuit, claiming World Championship titles in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 before reaching the pinnacle of the sport with Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games. After missing out on medals at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, Burroughs moved up to 79 kg and won back-to-back World Championships in 2021 and 2022. He last competed at the 2024 World Championships, where he was eliminated by multiple-time world medalist Mohammad Nokhodi.

Brady brings a different but formidable pedigree to the matchup. Though not a product of traditional competitive wrestling, the UFC welterweight has demonstrated sharp grappling ability throughout his MMA career. He arrives at RAF 12 in strong form, having defeated Joaquin Buckley at UFC 328 in May. Like Burroughs, this will be Brady’s first appearance under the RAF banner.

The pairing sets up a compelling contrast in styles: a decorated Olympic wrestler transitioning into a new competitive format against a proven MMA fighter who has built his own credible wrestling game inside the cage. RAF 12 marks a significant moment for the promotion, which has been steadily attracting high-profile names from both the wrestling and MMA worlds.