RAF 09
| RAF 09: Steveson vs. Romanov | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for RAF 09: Steveson vs. Romanov | ||||
| Promotion | Real American Freestyle | |||
| Date | May 30, 2026 | |||
| Venue | College Park Center | |||
| City | Arlington, Texas | |||
| Attendance | 3,252[1] | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
RAF 09: Steveson vs. Romanov was a freestyle wrestling event produced by the Real American Freestyle (RAF) promotion that took place on May 30, 2026, at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.[2][3]
Background
[edit]The event was headlined by a heavyweight bout between 2020 Summer Olympic gold medalist (also three-time age-group world champion) Gable Steveson and Alexander Romanov.[2]
A catchweight 200 pound bout between former interim UFC Welterweight Champion Colby Covington and former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman served as the co-main event.[2]
A RAF Light Heavyweight Championship bout between reigning champion Kyle Snyder and Georgian world medalist Givi Matcharashvili took place at the event.[3] They competed two other times with Snyder winning in April 2018 and December 2022.
A RAF Featherweight Championship bout between champion Real Woods and Ibragim Ilyasov also took place at the event.[3]
2021 U23 World Wrestling Championships' Men's freestyle 70 kg gold medalist Ernazar Akmataliev was scheduled to face two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner Zain Retherford (also three-time NCAA Division I National champion and Pan-American champion).[4] However, Akmataliev had to withdraw due to visa issues causing the match to be postponed to RAF Georgia in July 2026, so he was replaced by Antrell Taylor.[5][6]
Results
[edit]| Main card (Fox Nation) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Heavyweight |  Gable Steveson |
def. |  Alexandr Romanov |
Technical fall (10–0) | 2 | 1:07 | |
| Catchweight (200 lb) | Colby Covington |
def. | Chris Weidman |
Decision (5–4) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Kyle Snyder (c) |
def. |  Givi Matcharashvili |
Technical fall (10–0) | 3 | 0:41 | [a] |
| Lightweight | Merab Dvalishvili |
def. | Frankie Edgar |
Technical fall (12–1) | 3 | 1:34 | |
| Featherweight | Real Woods (c) |
def. |  Ibragim Ilyasov |
Fall | 1 | 2:11 | [b] |
| Middleweight | Jason Nolf |
def. | Christopher Minto |
Decision (10–5) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Cruiserweight | Parker Keckeisen |
def. |  Georgios Kougioumtsidis |
Decision (8–5) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Lightweight | Zain Retherford |
def. | Antrell Taylor |
Decision (8–0) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| Lightweight | Ridge Lovett |
def. |  Bajrang Punia |
Decision (13–8) | 3 | 2:00 | [c] |
| Catchweight (120 lb) |  Lucia Yepez |
def. | Cameron Guerin |
Technical fall (10–0) | 1 | 1:48 | |
| Middleweight |  Arman Tsarukyan |
def. | Keelon Jimison |
Technical fall (16–5) | 1 | 1:56 | |
- ↑ For the RAF Light Heavyweight Championship.
- ↑ For the RAF Featherweight Championship.
- ↑ RAF Lightweight title eliminator.
Bonus awards
[edit]The following athletes received bonuses.[8][9]
- Match of the Night: Parker Keckeisen vs. Georgios Kougioumtsidis and Jason Nolf vs. Christopher Minto
- Performance of the Night: Merab Dvalishvili
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]
- "RAF 09" at Fox Nation
- "RAF 09" on YouTube
References
[edit]- ↑ WrestleTix (2026-05-31). "WrestleTix: RAF Real American Freestyle – Sat • May 30 – College Park Center at Arlington, TX". wrestlenomics.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- 1 2 3 Drake Riggs (2026-05-31). "RAF 9 results: Gable Steveson, Merab Dvalishvili dominate; Arman Tsarukyan vs. Colby Covington set for July". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- 1 2 3 Richard Immel (2026-05-31). "Steveson dominates in RAF 09 main event, Snyder, Woods earn title belts". themat.com. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ AKIpress News Agency (2026-04-15). "Эрназар Акматалиев подписал контракт с американской лигой RAF". akipress.org. Retrieved 2026-07-23. (in Russian)
- ↑ "Debut of Kyrgyz wrestler Ernazar Akmataliev in USA's RAF league fell through due to visa issues". akipress.com. 2026-06-17. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ "Kyrgyzstani Ernazar Akmataliev defeats Rutherford in RAF debut". akipress.com. 2026-07-12. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-05-30). "RAF 9: Steveson vs. Romanov". realamericanfreestyle.com. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-05-30). "Two matches owned the night". instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
- ↑ Real American Freestyle (2026-05-30). "WHAT A NIGHT FOR THE MACHINE". instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-26.