15 hours ago - Sports

Real American Freestyle wrestling eyes growth after fast first year

Troy Smith

Two wrestlers in red and white singlets grapple on a mat; one pins the other as a blue-clad referee watches from the left, with a bright arena backdrop. — A rematch between wrestlers Henry Cejudo (left) and Merab Dvalishvili (right) will headline RAF's event at Rocket Arena on Aug. 22. Photo: Geoffrey Riccio courtesy of RAF

The freestyle wrestling promotion founded by Cleveland native Chad Bronstein has grown significantly since making its global debut at the Wolstein Center in August 2025.

Driving the news: Real American Freestyle (RAF) will celebrate its first anniversary at 8pm Saturday at Rocket Arena.

By the numbers: The inaugural event drew 2,400 people. RAF expects as many as 10,000 on Saturday.

"I think we’ve overachieved in our aspirations," Bronstein tells Axios.
Tickets to RAF start at around $70.

Flashback: Bronstein launched RAF with business partner Hulk Hogan a few months before the professional wrestling legend passed away.

RAF features "unscripted" freestyle wrestling seen at colleges, with several competitors having previously competed at the Olympics and in mixed martial arts.

Saturday's event, headlined by former UFC champions Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo, will be RAF's 13th showcase.

The company has an ongoing deal with Fox Nation for exclusive streaming rights to its events.

What’s next: "There are people right now approaching us about acquiring a stake in our company," Bronstein says.

"If it makes sense then we’re always open to it, but I would say we’re more focused on continuing to grow."

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Real American Freestyle wrestling eyes growth after fast first year

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