KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Reigning Real American Freestyle (RAF) Light Heavyweight Champion Kyle Snyder is embracing a punishing travel itinerary and a short turnaround as he prepares for the big night at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday.
Snyder arrives in the UAE fresh from capturing his fifth senior world title in Astana, Kazakhstan, following a dramatic late comeback win against rival Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
Having returned home to the United States just days ago, the veteran wrestler will embark on another long-haul flight to Abu Dhabi for his title defence against undefeated fighter Shamil Erdogan at RAF Abu Dhabi.
Addressing the quick transition between major international competitions, Snyder acknowledged the demanding nature of his schedule.
"It is a short turnaround. I mean, being in Kazakhstan, coming back to the United States, and then travelling to Abu Dhabi is pretty aggressive. But I love it, and I'm excited about it," Snyder said.
"I think that's always the most important thing when it comes to training and competing is if you're excited to wrestle, you're most likely going to feel good and be ready to compete hard. So, I take a couple days off the mat, and I'll start getting back into training tomorrow and then we'll depart on Tuesday and from there it'll just be business as usual."
The decision to return to the United States between trips to Central Asia and the Middle East was driven by family commitments. His wife, a medical resident, works demanding hours, making his presence at home crucial.
"I wanted to get home and see my family because we were in Kazakhstan for almost two weeks. So I wanted to go back, see my family," Snyder explained. "My wife is a resident, and she's a doctor, so she's really busy. We were challenged in that way with the kids. I just wanted to be home, help support them, see them. And I think it's good for my body too to just be home, sleep in my own bed for a couple days."
At RAF Abu Dhabi, Snyder will lock horns with Erdogan, a Dagestan-born Turkish athlete with an extensive freestyle background and an unblemished record in professional MMA.
Over the past six months, Snyder—the youngest American in history to win a senior world wrestling title—has defeated four fellow Olympic medallists to claim and defend his RAF crown. However, he remains respectful of the threat Erdogan poses.
When informed of social media claims made by Erdogan’s team regarding past coaching victories, Snyder remained unbothered.
"I did not see that. I'll have to look it up and find it. But I think he's going to be tough. And so I think it's going to be a good match," Snyder remarked. "He's somebody that, you know, inspired me when I was younger watching him compete at the world championships. I expect it to be a tough match."
Analysing his opponent's technical style, Snyder anticipated an aggressive contest on the mat rather than a tactical waiting game.
"I think that he's very good defensively... But I expect him to be aggressive too. When I watch him fight, he's not a defensive fighter. He's very offensive and he tries to end fights quickly. I expect him to be aggressive on the mat too," he said. "I don't think he has too many weaknesses... I'm just going to have to wrestle a hard match. I'm going to have to finish quickly."
Balancing the demands of the traditional Olympic wrestling calendar with professional promotional bouts like RAF for over a decade, Snyder attributes his longevity and calm demeanour to his spiritual foundation.
"Always my number one strength is faith, trusting in God, and giving the outcome to Him. And when I surrender the outcome to Him, then I'm able to compete without fear," he stated. "I just love to compete. And I think for me, it's not because of my faith. This is all part of the process of growing and deepening my faith in God and learning about Him and seeing Him work in my life."
Dismissing suggestions that age might be taking a toll on his performance after years of elite competition, the seasoned champion views his trajectory clearly. "I think I see it as battle-hardened. There's a lot more to go," Snyder asserted.
The event marks RAF's debut in Abu Dhabi as part of a expanding presence in the region, bringing a stacked fight card to the capital. Global combat sports star Khamzat Chimaev headlines the event against American Colby Covington for the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover title.
Meanwhile, Dagestani standout Umar Nurmagomedov makes his RAF debut against former MMA champion and Team Alpha Male founder Urijah Faber in a high-profile bantamweight clash.