ABU DHABI: Real American Freestyle, the main stage for wrestling’s elite, has announced a five-year partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Wrestling Federation to bring RAF’s events to Abu Dhabi.

The partnership begins on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, with global combat sports superstar Khamzat Chimaev headlining RAF’s first event in the Middle East.

Chimaev’s opponent will be announced in the coming weeks. Global wrestling and combat sports stars Arman Tsarukyan, Henry Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev are also set to compete, with their matchups to be announced.

RAF Abu Dhabi marks the league’s third international event in its first year. The long-term agreement with DCT Abu Dhabi establishes Abu Dhabi as an important part of RAF’s expanding international calendar and represents a major step in the league’s strategy to build a truly global professional wrestling platform.

Chad Bronstein, CEO 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 bin Tahnoon 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.

“We look forward to working with Real American Freestyle and DCT Abu Dhabi to build a lasting platform for wrestling in the UAE and create meaningful opportunities for athletes and fans.”

Saleh Mohamed 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. We look forward to building on this partnership and making RAF Abu Dhabi a fixture on our sporting calendar.”

Chimaev has quickly emerged as one of RAF’s biggest stars, bringing dominant performances and an enormous global following to the league. A naturalized UAE citizen who represents the country internationally, he will headline RAF’s Abu Dhabi debut in front of a home crowd.

The partnership comes as RAF enters its second year with significant momentum both at home and abroad, recently returning to Cleveland for RAF 12 — its one-year anniversary and biggest event to date.

In 12 months, the league has grown from its inaugural event in Cleveland into a year-round sports platform, staging sold-out events, building a global roster of Olympic champions, world champions and combat sports stars, launching RAF NEXT GEN and establishing an expanding international footprint.