Covington Defends RAF Cruiserweight Title vs. Muhammad

Colby Covington defends his RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship against Belal Muhammad in the main event of RAF 13 on Friday night at the Watsco Center in Miami.

Covington enters the freestyle wrestling bout undefeated on the RAF mats at 4-0 as champion. Muhammad steps in as the challenger in a matchup that pits two familiar faces from the UFC's welterweight ranks against each other in a different discipline entirely.

The card streams on FOX Nation starting at 8 p.m. ET, with the Covington-Muhammad title fight closing out a main card that also features Khamzat Chimaev against Gilbert Burns in the co-main event and Luke Rockhold taking on current UFC middleweight Joe Pyfer.

What's At Stake for Covington

Covington puts a perfect RAF record on the line, and a win keeps his crossover title reign intact heading into what has already been a active run for the promotion. Wrestling is a different test than mixed martial arts, and title defenses on the mat do not always translate cleanly to how a fighter is perceived in MMA circles, but a fourth straight win inside RAF only adds to Covington's case that he can hang with legitimate freestyle competition, not just former UFC names making a one-off appearance.

Muhammad, for his part, is looking to spoil that run in his RAF debut. Stepping into a wrestling promotion against an undefeated champion is no small ask, and how he handles the pace and scoring system on his first try will say plenty about whether he becomes a regular threat in this format going forward.

The Rest of the Card

Chimaev and Burns headline a stacked undercard rematch of sorts in a different sport, with Chimaev previously getting the better of Burns via unanimous decision at UFC 273 back in April 2022 inside the Octagon. Rockhold and Pyfer round out a main card that also includes wrestling standouts Kennedy Blaydes, Austin DeSanto, Jason Nolf and Haji Aliyev among others.

Betting Angle

Covington goes in as the favorite given his unbeaten mark inside RAF, and bettors leaning on recent form have reason to like the champion here. Muhammad brings a strong wrestling pedigree of his own from his MMA career, so this shapes up as a live betting affair rather than a lopsided title defense on paper, even with Covington holding the experience edge in this specific promotion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Colby Covington fighting at RAF 13?

Colby Covington defends his RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship against Belal Muhammad in the RAF 13 main event on Friday at the Watsco Center in Miami.

What is Colby Covington's record in RAF?

Colby Covington is 4-0 in Real American Freestyle competition heading into his title defense against Belal Muhammad at RAF 13.

Who else is fighting on the RAF 13 card?

The RAF 13 main card also features Khamzat Chimaev against Gilbert Burns and Luke Rockhold against Joe Pyfer, airing on FOX Nation at 8 p.m. ET.