Real American Freestyle

smiller229

Redshirt
Aug 30, 2016
26
43
13
I don't think it would ever happen, but would like to to see Ant the Champ come out of retirement. I know he's making his money in NY real estate and has no need for this. Maybe Bo can get him back. Long time lurker, infrequent poster. I'm not Lemonpie, but that tells you how long i've been a lurker.
 

WV lion

All-Conference
Oct 17, 2021
1,439
2,012
113
I don't think it would ever happen, but would like to to see Ant the Champ come out of retirement. I know he's making his money in NY real estate and has no need for this. Maybe Bo can get him back. Long time lurker, infrequent poster. I'm not Lemonpie, but that tells you how long i've been a lurker.
I think he is retired due to his shoulder issues. He hasn't done mma in a while.
 

nerfstate

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2021
737
3,171
93
When is Masa v Davino? Will it be on Fox or FS1?
RAF12 on 8/22 in Cleveland: Bo vs McEnelly, Nolf vs Wick, Ono vs Davino., Burroughs and Stevenson make their return.

I think it’s on the paid Fox platform but I dunno for sure.
 

Corby2

Heisman
Jul 14, 2025
4,667
10,172
113
RAF12 on 8/22 in Cleveland: Bo vs McEnelly, Nolf vs Wick, Ono vs Davino., Burroughs and Stevenson make their return.

I think it’s on the paid Fox platform but I dunno for sure.
Fox Nation yes you pay. But you can usually do a 7 day free trial if you cancel in 7 days they refund the $ . They had a great 4th of July sale one year was $17.76
 
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nerfstate

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2021
737
3,171
93
Fox Nation yes you pay. But you can usually do a 7 day free trial if you cancel in 7 days they refund the $ . They had a great 4th of July sale one year was $17.76
I just can never remember that name. Fox and HBO are nuts with their endless rebranding.
 
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dicemen99

All-American
Nov 15, 2005
3,541
5,127
113
Bischoff is a genius. We'll probably see this play out a little longer, hopefully (for RAF) make even bigger headlines, maybe even get Trump involved, and then it will be moved. In the meantime, millions of people who never heard of RAF will have now, and hundreds of thousands more will now tune in to that event.

@WillieTheBrain - this was the plan the whole time, right?
 

SkiSkiSki

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
3,767
1,141
113
anyone know how much these guys get paid?
Per Google AI:

Wrestlers in Real American Freestyle (RAF)—the prominent professional wrestling league launched in late 2025—earn massively scaled payouts, with elite tier competitors commanding between $80,000 and $300,000+ per match.

Because the organization utilizes a "show-and-win" bonus structure closely mirroring the UFC, actual payouts heavily rely on the athlete's contract tier and the match outcome:

Reported Pay Tiers
  • Top-Tier Global Stars: Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev signed a marquee contract earning a guaranteed $100,000 appearance fee, plus a $100,000 win bonus, bringing his potential single-match earnings to $200,000.
  • Elite MMA & Crossover Names: High-profile UFC stars like Arman Tsarukyan reportedly earn upwards of $300,000 total for a victory. Tsarukyan has publicly noted that his RAF paychecks heavily rival his lucrative UFC purses.
  • Olympic/Elite Freestyle Wrestlers: Top international freestyle prospects (such as Olympic champion Zaurbek Sidakov) have been offered base appearance fees hovering around $80,000 per match.
  • Viral Attractions / Record Purses: Main event influencers and viral breakout stars like Georgio Poullas have secured customized contracts rumored to sit near seven figures for high-stakes, single-match events.
Financial Realities

While the baseline appearance money is unprecedented for freestyle wrestling, fighters facing a loss can frequently end up in the negative. Because RAF requires athletes to cover their own training camp expenses, travel, corners, and taxes out-of-pocket, walking away without the winning bonus often results in a net financial loss for a match unless they carry active external sponsorships.
 
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