Years of tension between Colby Covington and Belal Muhammad are about to lead to a match fans have been waiting to see. Real American Freestyle confirmed during the RAF 11 post-fight press conference that Covington will face Muhammad in the co-main event of RAF 12 on Aug. 22, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The announcement came moments after the press conference descended into chaos, with the longtime rivals clashing following a heated exchange.
A rivalry that never reached the Octagon
Covington and Muhammad crossed paths several times during their UFC careers, but the matchup never materialized inside the cage. Their latest confrontation added another chapter to the rivalry.
After tempers flared during the RAF 11 press conference, Muhammad rushed toward Covington and kicked “Chaos” as security stepped in to separate the two. The incident only raised anticipation for their upcoming wrestling showdown. Instead of settling their differences in MMA, the pair will now meet under the RAF ruleset.
Covington puts his title on the line
Covington will enter RAF 12 with a perfect 4-0 record in the promotion. His latest outing saw him hand Arman Tsarukyan his first RAF defeat in the main event of RAF 11 while capturing the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover championship.
Before that victory, Covington picked up wins over Luke Rockhold, Dillon Danis and Chris Weidman. He will defend the title against Muhammad in Cleveland.
Muhammad heads into the matchup after earning a statement victory over Ben Askren in the RAF 11 co-main event, spoiling Askren’s return and final appearance on the wrestling mat.
The former UFC welterweight champion is 1-1 in RAF competition. He dropped his promotional debut to former two-time NCAA Division I national champion David Carr before bouncing back with the win over Askren.