Tsarukyan faces Neiman Gracie at RAF Abu Dhabi as Blades defends title against Bella Mir

Arman Tsarukyan will face Bellator veteran Neiman Gracie at Real American Freestyle’s debut Abu Dhabi event on Nov. 14 at Etihad Arena, promotional officials confirmed. The bout adds significant weight to a card already headlined by Colby Covington vs. Khamzat Chimaev for the cruiserweight crossover title.

Tsarukyan is entering a remarkably busy stretch, with the Gracie fight marking his second appearance in just three weeks. He is already booked to headline RAF 14 against Dillon Danis on Oct. 23. The Armenian lightweight’s stock has never been higher: his first-round finish of Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 in September was widely regarded as a knockout-of-the-year contender and is considered to have locked up a UFC lightweight title shot.

Gracie, a longtime Bellator standout, makes his second appearance for RAF and will be looking to rebound after suffering a loss to Shara Magomedov at RAF Moscow in September.

The card also features a women’s middleweight title defence, with Kennedy Blades putting her unbeaten RAF championship run on the line against Bella Mir. Blades has yet to concede a single point across her dominant promotional tenure. Mir faces a quick turnaround, as she is also scheduled to compete against Hope Chase at RAF 14 before this assignment.

Kyle Dake rounds out the title bouts on the card, defending his cruiserweight title against Alp Arslan Begenjov.