COLBY COVINGTON WINS RAF WRESTLING TITLE IN MILWAUKEE

Colby Covington defeated Arman Tsarukyan 5-3 to become the RAF Crossover World Champion in Milwaukee. The victory ended Tsarukyan's unbeaten streak across all combat sports, marking his first loss since fighting Mateusz Gamrot in the UFC over four years ago. Following the win, Covington stated in an interview that he expects to earn more money competing in Real American Freestyle over one year than he would have made annually in the UFC.

Covington explained his reasoning by contrasting fight frequency between the two promotions. He said the UFC typically stages one or two fights per competitor annually, whereas he plans to compete in eight to ten matches per year in RAF. According to reported figures, Covington's total UFC career earnings stood at approximately $4.4 million, with guaranteed purses around $500,000 for championship bouts. RAF has demonstrated financial commitment to elite athletes; Olympic wrestling legend Abdulrashid Sadulaev was reported to earn up to $200,000 per match through show and win money. Covington also credited the promotion's FOX Nation streaming partnership and external investment for enabling competitive athlete pay.

The 37-year-old, a former UFC interim lightweight champion, expressed enthusiasm for freestyle wrestling's ability to reach audiences that MMA does not typically access. He highlighted the attendance of younger spectators at RAF events as evidence of the sport's appeal to new viewers. Covington did not disclose his exact compensation from RAF.