Cleveland is about to host a wrestling card where Olympic gold, UFC name recognition, and a pair of Ohio homecomings all land on the same mat. RAF12 is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, at Rocket Arena, turning the promotion’s one-year anniversary into a very busy night for Northeast Ohio fight fans.
At the top of the card, Merab Dvalishvili will face Henry Cejudo for the inaugural RAF lightweight crossover championship. According to Cleveland.com, Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs will meet UFC welterweight Sean Brady in the co-main event.
The promotion’s official RAF12 event page lists an 8 p.m. Eastern start and bills the show as Dvalishvili vs. Cejudo 2. This is freestyle wrestling rather than an MMA card, while the crossover appeal comes from athletes who usually compete under very different combat-sports rules.
Rocket Arena describes RAF as a professional freestyle wrestling league operating under USA Wrestling rules, with events streaming live exclusively on FOX Nation. The venue’s listing also highlights VIP packages built around a Friday press conference, a Fan Zone and premium arena seating.
A Loaded Card With Local Ohio Hooks
The crossover theme runs throughout the undercard, which includes UFC veteran Bo Nickal against Max McEnelly and former UFC champion Tyron Woodley against Joaquin Buckley. Cleveland.com also reports matchups involving Gable Steveson, Kennedy Blades, Jason Nolf and several other elite wrestlers.
The card carries some genuine Ohio flavor, too. RAF’s official lineup lists Canton’s David Carr in a welterweight title match against Tajmuraz Salkazanov, while Aurora’s Johnni DiJulius is scheduled to face Asu Almabayev. Masanosuke Ono vs. Ben Davino and Evan Wick vs. Nolf round out more of the announced bouts.
Why RAF Is Bringing Its Anniversary Back To Cleveland
RAF launched in 2025, and the promotion is returning to Cleveland for the anniversary event because the city is where its story began. In a May announcement carried by the Cavaliers organization, CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein called the event a milestone for the league and pointed to his Cleveland roots.
Tickets are being promoted through the arena’s event page, while Ticketmaster’s listing confirms the Saturday, August 22 date and 8 p.m. start at Rocket Arena. For Cleveland, the draw is straightforward: a major wrestling anniversary show with Olympic champions, UFC stars and local connections sharing one card.
