Ex-UFC Middleweight Champion to Face Khamzat Chimaev at RAF After Covington’s Withdrawal

For a former middleweight champion who earned legendary status when he ended the great Anderson Silva’s 17-fight, seven-year UFC win streak, Chris Weidman could be walking towards a near-certain loss as he prepares for the headliner at RAF’s (Ream American Freestyle) debut event in Abu Dhabi. On November 14, 2026, Weidman will face another former UFC middleweight title holder, Khamzat Chimaev.

“Colby Covington is out!” the post from Home of Fight read. “Khamzat Chimaev will now face Chris Weidman at RAF Abu Dhabi this week.”

The announcement follows reports that confirmed Colby Covington had pulled out of the event following an undisclosed injury.

A total of 14 matches feature in the card set to take place at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena. With four RAF championships on the line, the event features several prominent wrestling and UFC figures, including Jordan Burroughs, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Arman Tsarukyan, competing in the main card.

Despite their heated UFC rivalry, Covington and Chimaev have never squared off. The Russian-Emirati fighter made his RAF debut on June 13, 2026, when he defeated Dillon Danis. After defeating Tyron Woodley in September, he outpointed Robbie Lawler in October.

The bout against Covington was scheduled as Chimaev’s first title match in RAF. However, with Weidman replacing Covington, the match has reportedly been scaled down as a light heavyweight crossover championship.

Following Covington’s withdrawal, Chimaev wasted no time and publicly expressed his frustration.

“Colbi is not coming,” he wrote on X. “He is scared.”

Covington, who announced his UFC retirement in May, has enjoyed considerable success in the RAF. He remains unbeaten with a 5-0 record. His victories include a win over Tsarukyan, which made him RAF cruiserweight crossover champion, and later against former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.

Last week Covington suffered a loss to UFC’s top-rated bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. at Hype Italy.

“I just came out a little slow,” he said afterwards. “This is the first time I’ve done jiu-jitsu in years. Every setback is a good opportunity for a comeback. I will get my hand raised next time.”

Colby Covington, Khamzat Chimaev & Chris Weidman: Three names, several twists

Historically, Covington has maintained a clear record, rarely pulling out of a scheduled bout. Throughout his decade in the UFC career, Covington earned a reputation as a highly reliable fighter. However, recent developments tend to showcase slight deviation from that pattern.

Mirroring the incident that unfolded recently, last month Covington pulled out of a scheduled match at the Hype Fighting Championship in Quito, Ecuador, due to medical reasons.

Before they faced off in September, a proposed matchup between Covington and Belal Muhammad in July fell apart. Blaming Muhammad for “unprofessional behavior,” Covington pulled out. Similarly, disagreements over weight reportedly aborted a proposed match-up against Sean Strickland.

If not in the RAF, Chimaev has a history of pulling out of a scheduled bout.

A notable example is the fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 6 on June 22, 2024. Chimaev pulled out after falling ill and was replaced by Ikram Aliskerov.

Getting a last-minute replacement is not entirely new for Chimaev.

Chimaev and Nate Diaz were supposed to headline the main event at UFC 279, scheduled on September 10, 2022. Ahead of the bout, the Russian missed weight, resulting in the UFC matching him up against Kevin Holland.

A year later, Chimaev was scheduled to face Paulo Costa. However, citing surgery for arm infection, the Brazilian pulled out and was replaced by Kamaru Usman.

During his UFC stint, Weidman had substituted fighters on short notice. Still, it could be the first time he is serving as a last-minute replacement for either Chimaev or Covington.

Intriguingly, Weidman had a record for frequently needing a replacement largely on account of injuries and related surgeries.

Beyond the fighters, finding a last-minute replacement might have become a routine for the RAF. The most likely reason is that the promotion’s popular crossover division heavily relies on active or recently retired UFC fighters, All-Americans, and Olympians.

As a result, it is severely dependent on their schedules, which often turns into a nightmare.

The post Ex-UFC Middleweight Champion to Face Khamzat Chimaev at RAF After Covington’s Withdrawal appeared first on EssentiallySports.