Umar Nurmagomedov to make RAF debut against Urijah Faber at Abu Dhabi event days after manager revealed his mindset of quitting wrestling

Umar Nurmagomedov is set to make his Real American Freestyle (RAF) debut against former MMA champion Urijah Faber at RAF Abu Dhabi. The bout will take place at Etihad Arena on Saturday, November 14. Nurmagomedov is moving to the wrestling mats after competing at the highest level in MMA.The one-time UFC title challenger will face one of the most experienced names in the sport. Faber, known as “The California Kid”, will make his third RAF appearance as he looks for his first win in the promotion.Umar Nurmagomedov faces Urijah Faber in RAF Abu Dhabi debutPromotional officials confirmed that Umar Nurmagomedov has signed with Real American Freestyle and will make his promotional debut against Urijah Faber in Abu Dhabi. The event will take place at Etihad Arena on November 14.Nurmagomedov is making the move to freestyle wrestling after a difficult result in his most recent MMA fight. The 30-year-old suffered a knockout defeat against Song Yadong in the main event of UFC Shanghai in August.Before that loss, Nurmagomedov had returned to winning ways. He defeated Mario Bautista and former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo by decision. Those victories came after his decision loss to then-UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311 in January 2025.Nurmagomedov has built a strong reputation through his wrestling and grappling skills. The Dagestan native is also part of the famous Nurmagomedov fighting family. He will now take those skills into RAF competition.What makes the move interesting is just a few days ago his manager Ali Abdelaziz revealed a major shift in his mindset. He claimed, “Umar called me the other day, and he was like, ‘I’m not a wrestler. I’m not gonna wrestle again. I’m just gonna knock everybody out. I’m gonna make sure I make it look easy.’”Meanwhile, Faber brings considerably more experience to the wrestling matchup. The former MMA champion and Team Alpha Male founder will make his third appearance for RAF.However, the veteran is still searching for his first victory in the promotion. Faber suffered technical-fall defeats against Henry Cejudo in the main event of RAF 6 in February and Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 8 two months later.The Abu Dhabi card will also feature Kyle Snyder. The reigning RAF light heavyweight champion will face Shamil Erdogan.The inaugural RAF Abu Dhabi event is part of a five-year partnership between Real American Freestyle, the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and the UAE Wrestling Federation.“Abu Dhabi is one of the premier destinations for combat sports, with the vision and infrastructure to deliver events that resonate globally. This five-year partnership gives us the opportunity to make RAF Abu Dhabi a signature event and build something meaningful for athletes, fans and the region for years to come”, Chad Bronstein, CEO and co-founder of RAF, had said earlier.It follows RAF’s international events in Tbilisi, Georgia, and Moscow.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.