In both the UFC and professional wrestling, fighters often drop subtle hints about upcoming matchups long before an official announcement. However, Khamzat Chimaev took things a step further by leaking his next opponent and the location far too early. Realizing his mistake, Chimaev quickly apologized to everyone on stage.
Khamzat Chimaev Accidentally Confirms Colby Covington Matchup
Chimaev, who recently vowed to break everybody at middleweight, joined the RAF 13 press conference in Coral Gables, Florida, to promote his freestyle wrestling match against Gilbert Burns.
During the media event, a reporter asked Chimaev who he would want to face next on the mats. He accidentally revealed the promotion’s future booking plans by blurting out Colby Covington’s name for a later card, saying, “Colby is not in the UFC right now, so I think we’re gonna wrestle in Abu Dhabi.”
🚨 Khamzat Chimaev just accidently leaked that he’s going to face Colby Covington at RAF in Abu Dhabi next 👀
“I think we gonna wrestle [Colby] in Abu Dhabi. Maybe I announced that too early, sorry guys.” 😭
(via @RAFWrestlingUSA) pic.twitter.com/98n0cwGUVU
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 17, 2026
Chimaev caught his mistake a second later. He smiled, looked around the room, and added, “Maybe I announced that too early. Sorry, guys.” RAF boss Izzy Martinez was seated next to him and smirked after Chimaev’s slip-up. Reporters took it as confirmation that the promotion is already building the matchup behind the scenes.
The former UFC middleweight champion is currently going through a frustrating period of inactivity in his MMA career. After losing his undisputed title to Sean Strickland via split decision at UFC 328, Chimaev aggressively campaigned for an immediate rematch.
However, with the UFC lacking immediate title plans for him before the end of the year, Chimaev pivoted to the Real American Freestyle promotion to stay in shape and keep his skills sharp for his next official opponent. He also stated that if the UFC does not book him by December, he will take a temporary break from MMA to address his injuries and a chronic thyroid condition.
History and Hurdles for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Colby Covington
Chimaev and Covington spent years trading insults at 170 pounds in the UFC, but they never fought in the octagon. Chimaev eventually moved up to middleweight and won the championship. Covington retired from MMA after a two-year layoff to wrestle full-time for Real American Freestyle, where he is currently undefeated with a perfect 4-0 record. He won the promotion’s first Cruiserweight Crossover title by beating Arman Tsarukyan on points in July.
Covington will defend that title against Belal Muhammad in the main event of RAF 13. Chimaev, who has a 2-0 wrestling record including a 94-second pin over Tyron Woodley, faces Gilbert Burns in the co-main event. Weight is the main disagreement between the two stars. Covington wants the match at 185 pounds, while Chimaev prefers a heavier limit closer to 200 pounds.
The promotion plans to host its first event in the UAE at the Etihad Arena on November 15, but officials have not announced any bouts. The match between Chimaev and Covington depends entirely on both men winning their upcoming matches without getting hurt. If they escape RAF 13 uninjured, only a formal contract stands between the fans and the match.
