Colby Covington Dominates Belal Muhammad at RAF 13

Colby Covington didn’t just beat Belal Muhammad at RAF 13. He shut him out, silenced him, and walked out of the Watsco Center with a 10-0 technical fall that felt as ruthless as the buildup had been loud.

All that venom from July’s fiery press conference, all the talk of unfinished business between a former UFC welterweight champion and one of his most vocal rivals, finally spilled into a wrestling mat in Miami. Only one man turned it into something real. The Florida crowd made it clear early who they were there for, and Covington — the reigning RAF cruiserweight crossover champion — gave them exactly what they wanted.

Covington crushes the grudge

From the opening exchanges, Muhammad’s offense barely flickered. He defended in spots, dug in on ties, tried to slow the pace. Covington just kept coming.

The signature moment arrived early. Covington snapped Muhammad into a front headlock, paused just long enough to feel the weight shift, then whipped him through for a four-point throw. It wasn’t just a score; it was a message. This was his mat, his night, his rivalry to close.

Once he’d planted that flag, he never retreated. Covington chained attacks with the relentlessness that once made him a terror at welterweight in MMA — gut wrenches, go-behinds, constant pressure that left Muhammad working only to survive, not to win.

The ending, in contrast, was almost cold. With Covington cruising at 9-0, Muhammad went on the 30-second shot clock. He couldn’t find a way in. Time bled away, the extra point landed, and at 10-0 the tech fall ended it without drama. No scramble. No miracle. Just a man outclassed and a rivalry reduced to a lopsided scoreline.

At 38, Covington moves to 5-0 in RAF. On this evidence, he isn’t slowing down.

Chimaev mauls Burns again — and calls for Covington

If Covington’s win closed one chapter, Khamzat Chimaev’s performance opened another.

Chimaev, now 3-0 in RAF, dominated Gilbert Burns 15-4 in a catchweight crossover bout, adding a wrestling tech fall to the decision victory he scored over the Brazilian under MMA rules at UFC 273 more than four years ago.

Burns, making his RAF debut, knew exactly what kind of storm he was stepping into. It didn’t matter. Chimaev rolled through exchanges, imposed his physicality, and piled on points. He had already blasted through Dillon Danis and Tyron Woodley by first-round pinfall in RAF; Burns at least made him work into the second period. The result never looked in doubt.

Chimaev didn’t get the pin this time, but the technical fall in the second period kept his RAF record spotless and his aura intact. When he grabbed the microphone with RAF commentator Chael Sonnen after the match, he didn’t bother with subtlety.

“He has the belt and I need to beat the best,” Chimaev said, eyes already fixed on Covington’s cruiserweight crossover crown.

Covington’s demolition of Muhammad and Chimaev’s dismantling of Burns on the same night, in the same building, felt less like coincidence and more like staging. The collision course is obvious. The only question now is when RAF pulls the trigger.

Blades, Pyfer and Nolf deliver on a stacked card

RAF 13 wasn’t just about the two headliners.

Kennedy Blades — listed as Kennedy Blaydes on the bout sheet — showed why she’s one of the brightest names in the sport, shutting out Diana Avsaragova with a clinical tech fall to retain her women’s middleweight title. It was dominant, efficient, and utterly one-sided.

Joe Pyfer announced himself to the RAF audience with force. In a light heavyweight crossover bout, he manhandled former UFC champion Luke Rockhold, storming to a 14-3 tech fall in a debut that looked less like an introduction and more like a statement of arrival.

Jason Nolf, meanwhile, had to walk the tightrope. The middleweight champion got everything he could handle from Julian Ramirez, edging out a tense 7-6 decision to keep his belt. Where others cruised, Nolf had to solve problems deep into the match and found just enough answers.

The rest of the 12-match card kept the pace high:

• Arsen Harutyunyan took the bantamweight title, outscoring Austin DeSanto 6-3.
• Timur Bizhoev squeezed past Michael Caliendo 5-4 at welterweight.
• Chance Marsteller earned an 8-6 win over Georgios Kougioumtsidis at cruiserweight.
• Bryce Meredith and Movlid Khaybulaev traded points in a wild welterweight bout that finished 17-13 to Meredith.
• Cayden Henschel claimed the featherweight crossover championship with a composed 7-2 win over Johnni DiJulius.
• Jacori Teemer beat Haji Aliyev 9-6 at lightweight.
• In a catchweight crossover contest, Mugzy finished Real Tarzann by pinfall.

But everything in Miami circled back to the same looming possibility.

Covington walked out with his belt and a flawless 10-0 win over a former UFC champion. Chimaev left with another lopsided victory over another elite name and a clear demand for a title shot. If RAF wants a marquee showdown that blends bad blood, star power, and high-level wrestling, the path is already laid.

Does anyone really want to see either of them face anyone else next?