ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Young wrestlers can look forward to a visit to Abu Dhabi next month as the Real American Freestyle (RAF) promotion brings its support tournament, RAF Next Gen, to the Middle East for the first time.
Organised alongside the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the UAE Wrestling Federation, the event will take place on November 14-15 as part of the broader RAF wrestling weekend debut in the region.
The tournament features four age groups: U11, U13, U15, and U17, with girls' categories included in the U13 and U15 divisions. Registration is now open across all weight classes for both regional federation entries and individual competitors.
Action begins on Saturday, November 14, with preliminary qualifiers at NYU Abu Dhabi. The following day, the finalists will move to the main stage at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, competing on the same mats used by the world's elite professional wrestlers the night before.
The youth event extends the five-year agreement between RAF, DCT Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Wrestling Federation to establish Abu Dhabi as a global hub for combat sports, while opening clear development pathways for emerging talent.
Chad Bronstein, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of RAF, said: “From the beginning, we believed that building RAF meant building the entire sport, not just a professional league. Taking Next Gen international is a major step in that vision. Bringing young athletes from different countries to Abu Dhabi and giving them the chance to compete on the same stage as the sport’s biggest names is exactly the kind of pathway wrestling needs more of.”
Fakhry Alsarraj, Acting Executive Director of the Events, Retail & Culinary Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, noted that the initiative aligns with the emirate's broader goal of supporting grassroots sports alongside major global spectacles.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Secretary General of the UAE Wrestling Federation, said “developing the next generation is central to the long-term growth of wrestling in the UAE” with the hope that the Next Gen event is a step in that direction.
The youth tournament complements RAF’s main event on November 14 at Etihad Arena, headlined by Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington and other stars such as Umar Nurmagomedov.
Further details on participating federations, competition schedules, and broadcast details will be released in the coming weeks.