Cerrone vs. Pettis 3 Set, But It's Wrestling at RAF 15

Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis will run it back for a third time on Nov. 28, this time on the wrestling mat rather than inside the cage. Real American Freestyle announced the trilogy match Wednesday for RAF 15 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, marking the RAF debut for both former UFC fighters.

The matchup closes a loop that started 13 years ago. Pettis knocked Cerrone out in the first round of their 2013 meeting on his way to the UFC lightweight title, then edged him by decision in a rematch at UFC 249 in 2020. Both bouts happened inside the Octagon. This one won't. RAF competitions are judged freestyle wrestling matches, not MMA fights, so there will be no strikes, no submissions and no finishes of the kind that defined the first two meetings.

What This Means For Both Fighters' Legacies

Neither man has fought in MMA recently, and this booking reads more as a reunion than a competitive crossroads. Cerrone hasn't competed since a submission loss to Jim Miller in 2022, which closed out a UFC run that ended on a seven-fight winless streak. Pettis also last fought in the cage in 2022, dropping a decision to Stevie Ray in the PFL, though he's stayed active since, picking up a decision win over Chris Avila in 2024 on the undercard of the Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal boxing card and taking bookings in Karate Combat. Neither fighter is walking into this with MMA ring rust fully shaken off, but wrestling is a different animal, and it strips away the power and finishing instincts that defined their first two fights.

Betting Angle

A wrestling match between two fighters best known for knockouts and decisions is a tough one to handicap in the traditional sense. There's no finishing power or submission threat to price in, so any market that forms around this will likely lean heavily on wrestling pedigree and recent conditioning rather than fight IQ or striking history. Cerrone built his reputation on volume and durability rather than grappling dominance, while Pettis has shown flashes of underrated wrestling in his MMA career. Bettors drawn to this one should treat it as a novelty line rather than a true form guide for either man's combat-sports future, since a result here says little about how either would fare in an actual MMA or boxing return.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis 3?

Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis meet for a third time on Nov. 28 at RAF 15, held at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Is Cerrone vs. Pettis 3 an MMA fight?

No, the third meeting between Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis is a freestyle wrestling match under the Real American Freestyle banner, not an MMA bout.

Who won the first two fights between Cerrone and Pettis?

Anthony Pettis won both previous meetings in the UFC, stopping Donald Cerrone via first-round knockout in 2013 and winning a decision at UFC 249 in 2020.