RAF in Miami with Kurt Angle, Colby Covington, Belal Muhammad, Real Tarzann and more

RAF13 marks Real American Freestyle’s return to South Florida with a loaded unscripted pro wrestling league card, headlined by a highly anticipated RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship match between South Florida’s Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad.

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Years of tension between the former UFC rivals will finally spill onto the RAF mat, adding plenty of bad blood to one of the night’s biggest showdowns.

RAF13 will be at the Watsco Center at the University of Miami on Friday, September 18 in Coral Gables.

Covington, the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Champion, is 4-0 in RAF (2-0 in Florida). He is a former All-American wrestler who was invited to the Olympic training facility in his college years. He opted to test himself in MMA, following graduation, searching for a money-making career in the combat sport’s world.

His choice paid off.

A South Florida resident for 16 years and counting, Covington “The King of Miami” starred in MMA in UFC, winning championship gold and is now doing the same with the young RAF promotion.

Here is my video interview with RAF Champ Colby Covington.

The full RAF13 card also features 2024 Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades, former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold and a solid lineup of accomplished international and collegiate wrestlers.

Here are more signed battles on the mat for RAF13: Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Luke Rockhold vs. Joe Pyfer, Michael Caliendo vs. Timur Bizhoev, three-time world champion and Olympic medalist Haji Aliyev vs. Jacori Teemer, Kennedy Blades vs. Diana Avsaragova, and Georgios Kougioumtsidis vs. Chance Marsteller.

Mike “Real Tarzann” Holston, the Miami-based creator known worldwide for his viral wildlife content, will make his RAF wrestling debut in his hometown against Mugzy, while Miami native Julian Ramirez, a four-time NCAA qualifier and 2025 Ivy League Champion, will make his RAF debut against three-time NCAA Champion Jason Nolf for the RAF Middleweight Championship.

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The weekend will also feature RAF NEXT GEN, RAF’s youth wrestling platform designed to give the next generation of athletes a stage alongside the professional league. Competition continues throughout the weekend, with prelims on Saturday and the RAF NEXT GEN Miami Finals on Sunday, streamed live on FOX Nation.

RAF13 begins at 8 p.m. ET Friday, September 18 and will also stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

The RAF broadcast team includes Shane Sparks: play-by-play analyst; Chael Sonnen: color analyst and post-match interviewer; Kurt Angle: main event color commentator; Julianna Peña: undercard color commentator; Ben Askren, remote analyst. McKenzie Mitchell, who also works for TNA Wrestling, is the ring announcer.

A fanfest will be earlier on Friday, September 18 at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura.

This marks RAF’s third time in Florida and second time in South Florida with Sunrise and Tampa already in the books.

About Real American Freestyle

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league—and the new professional home for the sport’s elite. Founded by Chad Bronstein, Israel Martinez, Hulk Hogan, and Eric Bischoff, RAF launched in 2025 to give Olympic champions, World Champions, NCAA standouts, and top MMA crossover athletes a global platform to compete at the highest level.

RAF brings freestyle wrestling to a modern fight-night stage, competing under USA Wrestling rules with real stakes, high-level production, and broadcast storytelling built for today’s audience. RAF allows athletes to build careers, grow personal brands, and reach a global fanbase. All RAF events stream live exclusively on FOX Nation.

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For more information, visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com.