Covington Ducked Strickland Fight, Now Faces Chimaev

Colby Covington turned down a catchweight wrestling match with UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland before Khamzat Chimaev landed the shot at Covington's Real American Freestyle (RAF) Cruiserweight Crossover title.

RAF had tried to book Covington against Strickland for its Oct. 23 card at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Strickland wanted the grappling match at a 200-pound catchweight. Covington, who competed at welterweight for most of his UFC career, wanted the fight at 190 pounds. Neither side moved off their number, the fight fell apart, and RAF pivoted to a different plan for both men.

Chimaev now meets Robbie Lawler on the Oct. 23 Las Vegas card, and if he gets through that bout he will challenge Covington for the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover championship on Nov. 14, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Why Covington Passed on Strickland

The 10-pound gap between Covington's 190-pound ask and Strickland's 200-pound ask was enough to sink the negotiation entirely. Strickland has fought at both middleweight and light heavyweight in the UFC and is a physically bigger man than Covington, who spent his career at welterweight before moving up for RAF's grappling format. Strickland also already has a win over Chimaev, having beaten him for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 328, which made the matchup a tougher stylistic and physical proposition for Covington than facing Chimaev at a catchweight closer to his own frame.

The Records at Stake

Covington is unbeaten through five RAF appearances. He won the Cruiserweight Crossover title by beating Arman Tsarukyan, then made his first defense against Belal Muhammad earlier this month. His other RAF wins came against Chris Weidman, Dillon Danis and Luke Rockhold. Chimaev is 3-0 in RAF competition, with wins over Danis, Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns, and now has to beat Lawler before he gets his crack at Covington's belt.

Betting Angle

Covington enters as the favorite in any RAF grappling matchup given his unblemished record and the fact he set the weight terms that scuttled the Strickland fight rather than the other way around. Chimaev still has to clear Lawler on Oct. 23 before Abu Dhabi even happens, so bettors eyeing the November title fight should treat it as contingent on that outcome. Strickland's absence from the Covington sweepstakes also removes what looked like the toughest possible style matchup for "Chaos" on paper, at least for now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't Sean Strickland fighting Colby Covington in RAF?

Sean Strickland wanted their catchweight wrestling match set at 200 pounds while Colby Covington wanted it at 190 pounds, and the two sides could not close that gap, so the fight was not booked.

Who will Colby Covington defend his RAF title against?

Colby Covington is set to defend his RAF Cruiserweight Crossover title against Khamzat Chimaev on Nov. 14, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

What does Khamzat Chimaev have to do before facing Colby Covington?

Khamzat Chimaev first faces Robbie Lawler on the Oct. 23 RAF card in Las Vegas before his scheduled title shot against Colby Covington.