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Real American Freestyle announced:
Real American Freestyle Kicks Off 2026 with Colby Covington vs. Luke Rockhold Headliner
RAF05 streams exclusively on FOX Nation, with Kyle Dake set to face the Kadimagomedov–Plott winner for the Cruiserweight Championship
Tampa, FL (December 3, 2025) – Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted pro wrestling league for the best athletes in the world, is kicking off 2026 with its biggest event yet, building on a breakout year that pushed RAF to the forefront of wrestling and combat sports. RAF05 will take place on January 10 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, home of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, and will stream exclusively on FOX Nation. Tickets will be available for purchase this week.
The main event will feature MMA superstars Colby Covington and Luke Rockhold going head-to-head at 195 pounds in a blockbuster matchup that will capture worldwide attention. Both fighters are returning to their wrestling roots, stepping back onto the mat in front of a passionate South Florida fan base.
RAF05 will also feature a high-stakes Cruiserweight Championship bout as fan favorite Kyle Dake, the reigning champion, will face the winner of RAF04’s title eliminator between Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov and Dustin Plott. It all started at RAF03 in Chicago, where Kadimagomedov demanded a title shot. But Plott, still awaiting his RAF debut, earned his place in the eliminator with momentum the league couldn’t ignore.
Featherweight Champion Jordan Oliver will defend his newly earned title in a rematch against Real Woods, the man he dethroned at RAF03 in Chicago. Woods entered that bout as the reigning champion but fell short in a razor-close battle. Now, with the belt on the other waist and unfinished business between them, RAF04 sets the stage for a pivotal showdown in one of the league’s most competitive divisions.
“We set out to build something wrestling never had, a true professional home,” said Chad Bronstein, co-founder and CEO of Real American Freestyle. “2025 showed us that the appetite is there. 2026 is about building on that foundation and taking this league to an even bigger level.”
Since its April 2025 launch, Real American Freestyle has carved out a new lane in combat sports, bringing together world-class wrestlers, crossover MMA stars, and a growing national fanbase. With three high-energy events in the books – Cleveland (RAF01), State College (RAF02), and Chicago (RAF03) – the league closes its inaugural season with RAF04 in Indianapolis, headlined by marquee names like Wyatt Hendrickson, Mason Parris, Bo Nickal, Yoel Romero, David Carr, and Belal Muhammad.
RAF05 marks the beginning of an even bigger year for Real American Freestyle. With top-tier talent, expanding global reach, and a growing presence across mainstream media, the league is cementing itself as the next major player in combat sports. 2026 starts now.
For more info and to follow the action, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com or follow @RAFWrestlingUSA on all platforms.
About Real American Freestyle
Real American Freestyle is a professional freestyle wrestling league founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, and Eric Bischoff. Supported by Left Lane Capital, the league launched in 2025 with a roster of 40 athletes. Featuring a full slate of events throughout its debut season, Real American Freestyle is focused on freestyle elements of the sport and seeks to provide a platform for athletes to build careers and branding in the space. RAF matchups follow freestyle rules under USA Wrestling standards, with events staged like major fight nights – blending the intensity of Olympic wrestling with the production value of modern combat sports. All matches stream exclusively on FOX Nation. Additional partners include Real American Beer, Takedown, ALT Sports Data, NXT Bets, and more. For more information on Real American Freestyle, please visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.
About Amerant Bank Arena
Florida’s premier sports and entertainment venue, Amerant Bank Arena is Florida’s largest indoor arena and the second largest sports and entertainment venue in South Florida. Home of the NHL’s 2024 Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, the state-of-the-art Amerant Bank Arena continues to host hundreds of major concerts, events, and performance acts each year, which have included the likes of Elton John, Harry Styles, Beyonce, Childish Gambino, WWE, Billboard Latin Music Awards and more. Located in Sunrise, Florida across from the Sawgrass Mills Mall, which attracts upwards of 30 million visitors annually, the Broward County-owned Amerant Bank Arena is one of the top-ranked venues of its kind in the world, servicing Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties and beyond. For more information about Amerant Bank Arena and upcoming events, games, and concerts, visit AmerantBankArena.com and follow @AmerantBankArena on Facebook and Instagram and @AmerantArena on X.
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