Covington Embraces Underdog Role, Vows to Force Chimaev’s Exit at RAF Abu Dhabi

DUBAI: Colby Covington is sparring with larger wrestlers to neutralize Khamzat Chimaev’s significant size advantage, declaring his intention to make his opponent quit when the pair clash for the RAF cruiserweight crossover championship at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on Nov. 14.

The bout headlines Real American Freestyle’s inaugural Middle Eastern event. Both athletes enter the contest undefeated under the RAF banner, with Chimaev—who has represented the UAE since 2023—competing in front of a home crowd.

Covington, a two-time NCAA All-American and former interim UFC welterweight champion, explained in an exclusive interview that his preparation has been specifically engineered to address the physical disparity.

“The way I’ve been training is I’ve been wrestling with bigger guys because he has a lot of weight on me,” Covington said. “He weighs significantly more than me, maybe 20, 25 pounds. So I have to wrestle with bigger guys, guys that have a body like him.”

The American has adopted a grueling twice-daily regimen with no rest days, framing the upcoming contest as the most pivotal of his career.

“I’m taking no days off. I want this win more than I’ve wanted any win in my whole entire career,” he said. “So you’re going to bring the best Colby Covington that you’ve seen in any competitive format to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.”

While acknowledging Chimaev’s bulk, Covington views the Russian-born fighter’s 6-foot-2-inch frame as a tactical liability.

“He’s a tall guy… but it’s going to be easier to get to those legs because he’s so tall,” Covington asserted. “I’m gonna get to his legs. I’m gonna take him down. I’m gonna slam him. I’m gonna make him quit.”

He predicts a relentless, high-pace assault will break Chimaev’s resolve. “I’m going to break him with pace and just pressure and I’m going to stay on it. I’m going to be in his face the whole time… He’s not going to have the resilience to keep up with me.”

The card features a deep roster of crossover matchups. UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan meets three-time World BJJ bronze medalist Neiman Gracie, while two-time Olympic bronze medalist and four-time world champion Kyle Dake defends his cruiserweight title against Turkmenistan’s Alp Arslan Begenjov. Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades puts the women’s middleweight title on the line against Bella Mir.

Additional highlights include former UFC contender Zabit Magomedsharipov facing Giga Chikadze in a welterweight crossover, and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs squaring off with Belarusian Azamat Nurykau at middleweight.

Four Arab athletes will make their RAF debuts: Bahrain’s Hamza Kooheji meets Jordan’s Ali AlQaisi at lightweight, while Egypt’s Osama Elsaidy faces Bahrain’s Murtaza Talha at light-heavyweight.

Covington believes the convergence of global stars and regional talent can catalyze wrestling’s popularity in the region.

“When you have big names and role models and people that are looked up to like we all are, I think that’s gonna bring the next generation of people in the Middle East and the people around the world really that are gonna be drawn to wrestling because of RAF,” he said.

He argues the sport is a natural fit for an audience already versed in combat sports. “A lot of people in Abu Dhabi, they know about martial arts, they know about UFC and they know about jiu-jitsu, but they don’t know about wrestling and they’re about to find out about wrestling. I think wrestling is going to become their favorite sport after they see RAF.”

Beyond entertainment, Covington sees RAF as a vital professional pathway for wrestlers. “I think people are gonna see that there’s this new outlet in RAF where they can make a living for themselves… They can make good financial incentives and really secure their financial future for themselves and their families through the sport of wrestling.”

For Covington, the Abu Dhabi showcase represents an opportunity to reveal the raw intensity of the discipline to a new market.

“It’s going to be intense. It’s going to be, I think it will become violent at some point where it’s just going to be gritty,” he said. “Wrestling is not easy, but all good things in life don’t come easy. We’re going to show them what wrestling is all about. And hopefully this inspires a tonne of people in Abu Dhabi to follow down the wrestling circuit.”

RAF Abu Dhabi launches a five-year partnership between Real American Freestyle, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Wrestling Federation. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.ae and etihadarena.ae.

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