Covington vs. Muhammad: RAF 13 Grudge Match Preview

Real American Freestyle (RAF) rolls back into the spotlight tonight, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, with its thirteenth event, live from the Watsco Center in Miami, Florida, and the promotion is leaning hard into star power and score-settling.

At the top of the bill, former UFC Welterweight title challenger Colby Covington meets ex-UFC Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad for the RAF Cruiserweight crossover championship at 190 lbs, a matchup loaded with bad blood and years of simmering animosity. It’s not just a belt on the line; it’s bragging rights between two men who have built careers on pressure, pace, and pointed words.

The tension in that main event sets the tone for a card built around crossover intrigue. Covington brings his trademark grinding wrestling and relentless engine to a rule set that plays directly into his strengths, while Muhammad arrives as a champion-caliber technician, determined to impose his own tempo and silence a long-time rival under the bright lights of Miami.

Chimaev vs. Burns: A Rivalry Revisited

Just beneath them, the co-main event revives one of modern MMA’s most compelling clashes. Former UFC Middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev returns to the mats in a catchweight bout against former UFC title challenger Gilbert Burns, a man who pushed him to the brink in their unforgettable Octagon war.

This time, the cage is gone. It’s pure wrestling, raw and unforgiving. Chimaev’s ferocious pressure and physicality collide again with Burns’ world-class grappling IQ. Their first meeting was chaos; tonight promises a more distilled version of that same intensity, stripped down to takedowns, scrambles, and willpower.

Rockhold, Pyfer and a Wave of Title Fights

Star names run deep on this main card. UFC Middleweight contender Joe Pyfer makes his RAF debut at 215 lbs against former UFC champion Luke Rockhold, a matchup that blends youth and momentum with veteran craft and name recognition. Pyfer arrives as the surging contender with something to prove. Rockhold, the established champion-turned-crossoverspecialist, fights to show there’s still bite behind the name.

The rest of the lineup is thick with gold on the line and high-level talent on display:

• At 150 lbs, Kennedy Blades faces Diana Avsaragova for the RAF Women’s Middleweight Championship, a clash of styles in a division still carving out its identity but already rich with skill.
• At 135 lbs, Austin DeSanto meets Arsen Harutyunyan for the RAF Bantamweight Championship, a bout that promises furious scrambles and a pace that could scorch the canvas.
• At 175 lbs, Jason Nolf takes on Julian Ramirez for the RAF Middleweight Championship, another title fight built for purists who appreciate positional dominance and relentless attacks.

Scattered between those title bouts are matchups designed to test prospects and spotlight specialists:

• At 165 lbs, Michael Caliendo locks in with Timur Bizhoev in a contest that could quietly steal the show.
• At 190 lbs, Georgios Kougioumtsidis meets Chance Marsteller in a stylistic clash that should please fans of grinding, physical wrestling.
• At 165 lbs, Bryce Meredith squares off with Movlid Khaybulaev, a meeting of two seasoned competitors with deep competitive resumes.

Early Results: Henschel, Teemer and Alvan Make Statements

The undercard has already delivered decisive results and a few standout performances.

• At 145 lbs, Cayden Henschel claimed the RAF Featherweight Crossover Championship with a commanding points win over Johnni DiJulius, 7-2. Henschel controlled the tempo, dictated positions, and left little doubt on the scorecards.
• At 155 lbs, Jacori Teemer edged Olympic great Haji Aliyev in a high-scoring battle, taking a 9-6 decision that showcased his offensive creativity and composure under fire.
• At 175 lbs, Cesar Alvan didn’t need the judges. He finished Jeremiah Moody with a pin in the second period, stamping his authority on the bout and underlining his threat in the division.
• In a catchweight showdown built for entertainment, Mugzy put away Real Tarzann with a second-period pin, a result that added a jolt of spectacle to the early portion of the card.

Miami Lights, Big Stakes

RAF 13 kicks off at 8 p.m. ET, streaming exclusively on FOX Nation, with the Watsco Center set to host a night where wrestling, MMA pedigree, and personal grudges collide on the same canvas.

By the time Covington and Muhammad step onto the mat, scores will already have been settled and new champions crowned. The question is simple: on a night packed with crossover stars and rising names, who walks out of Miami with momentum—and who gets left behind in a sport that never waits for anyone?