The RAF 09 is here, and the lineup hits the mat with promising high-octane action that is scheduled to be dished out by some of the greatest National and Olympic freestyle masters. RAF 09 heads to Dallas on May 30, 2026, and is set to headline the highly anticipated debut of Olympic wrestler Gable Steveson, who will collide with Moldovan Alexander Romanov.
The Real American Freestyle is back with its flagship event, and the lineup for this event has it certain that the promotion is heading to create a collision for the ages by bringing amateur wrestling stars and Olympic excellence under one roof for a more entertainment-centric approach.
Gable Steveson’s RAF debut has already boosted the event’s popularity to new heights, as the Olympian has signed a multi-match deal with the organization and will debut against Romanov to headline the main event. The lineup also includes an elite crossover bout between Colby Covington and Chris Weidman, while Georgia’s Givi Matcharashvili will battle it out against Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder.
The road to the RAF has, however, seen pre-entry mishaps as injuries and last-minute lineup changes have briefly shifted the Dallas landscape. The hardest blow to the original lineup has been the striking of Kennedy Blades and Alexis Gomez from the card after Gomez reported an injury sustained during training camp. The three-time NCAA champion, Zain Retherford, has also seen a small shakeup, which has now positioned him against the Mongolian standout Tumur-Ochir Tulga.
Despite the last-minute calls, the current lineup is stacked with talent that guarantees a Texas-style no-holds-barred showdown that promises to echo the Texan tradition of grit and grind.
RAF 09 Complete Lineup
Here is the complete list of every Olympian and NCAA standout scheduled to compete at the RAF 09:
Heavyweight: Gable Steveson vs Alexandr Romanov (Main Event)
Catchweight: Colby Covington vs Chris Weidman
Lightweight: Kyle Snyder vs Givi Matcharashvili (Championship Bout)
Lightweight: Merab Dvalishvili vs Frankie Edgar
Featherweight: Real Woods vs Ibragim Ilyasov (Championship Bout)
Middleweight: Jason Nolf vs. Christopher Minto
Cruiserweight: Parker Keckeisen vs Georgios Kougioumtsidis
Lightweight: Zain Retherford vs Tumur-Ochir Tulga
Lightweight: Bajrang Punia vs Ridge Lovett
Catchweight: Lucia Guzman vs Cameron Guerin
Middleweight: Arman Tsarukyan vs Mugzy
The event is scheduled to go live on May 30th, 2026, at 8:00 PM EST at the College Park Center of the University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, Texas, and will air live exclusively on Fox Nation.
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