Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the UAE Wrestling Federation have agreed a five-year partnership with Real American Freestyle (RAF) to bring the league’s professional wrestling events to the emirate.
UAE international combat sports star Khamzat Chimaev will headline RAF’s inaugural Middle East event on November 14 at the Etihad Arena, with his opponent to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
The fight card will also feature global wrestling and combat sports athletes including Arman Tsarukyan, Henry Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
Abu Dhabi represents RAF’s third international market, following debut events in Tbilisi, Georgia and Moscow, Russia.
Chad Bronstein, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of RAF, said: “From day one, our ambition has been to bring RAF to the world’s great sports markets, and there is no better place for this next chapter than Abu Dhabi.
“Abu Dhabi is one of the premier destinations for combat sports, with the vision and infrastructure to deliver events that resonate globally. This five-year partnership gives us the opportunity to make RAF Abu Dhabi a signature event and build something meaningful for athletes, fans and the region for years to come.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed Al Nahyan, Secretary General of the UAE Wrestling Federation, said: “This five-year partnership marks an important step in the continued growth of wrestling in the UAE.
Bringing world-class athletes and international events to Abu Dhabi will not only strengthen the country’s position on the global wrestling stage, but also inspire the next generation of athletes and support the long-term development of the sport.”
Saleh Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi has established a strong reputation as a global destination for major sporting events, and we are pleased to welcome Real American Freestyle as a new addition to our world-class events calendar.
“This five-year partnership reflects our ambition to bring more high-profile sporting properties to the emirate, while giving fans in Abu Dhabi and visitors from around the world the opportunity to experience elite combat sports in a world-class setting.”
Priority ticket registration for the November 14 event is open at visitabudhabi.ae.
Additional matchups, venue details and broadcast coverage will be announced in due course.
