Real American Freestyle (RAF) is continuing with its goofy matchmaking.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will make his RAF debut against longtime fan favorite Donald Cerrone, who will also be competing for the promotion for the first time at RAF 15 on Sat., Nov. 28, 2026, inside NOW Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Two high-level kickboxers … wrestling.
Sure, why not?
Pettis and Cerrone are no strangers to one another, having already shared the Octagon twice during their lengthy UFC careers.
“Showtime” won their first meeting at UFC on FOX 6 in Jan. 2013, folding Cerrone with a vicious body kick in the opening round. More than seven years later, Pettis defeated “Cowboy” again via unanimous decision in a competitive Welterweight rematch at UFC 249.
Cerrone officially retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) following his submission loss to Jim Miller at UFC 276 in July 2022. Since hanging up his gloves, “Cowboy” has openly discussed using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and how much better it has made him feel outside UFC’s anti-doping program.
Apparently, retirement — and replacement testosterone — will not stop him from accepting a strange wrestling match.
The RAF appearance does not necessarily mean Cerrone is launching a full-fledged MMA comeback. It does, however, give the 43-year-old an opportunity to compete again and avoid falling to 0-3 against one of his longtime rivals.
Their third encounter will look nothing like the first two.
There will be no head kicks, spinning attacks or wild striking exchanges this time. Instead, the two UFC veterans will settle their rivalry on the wrestling mat.
Despite being best known for their striking, neither man is completely helpless on the ground. Cerrone secured 17 submission victories during his professional MMA career, while Pettis submitted several high-level opponents and famously tapped Benson Henderson to capture the UFC Lightweight championship in 2013.
Still, nobody spent the last decade begging to see Cerrone and Pettis wrestle.
Pettis will enter the contest holding two victories over Cerrone, but “Cowboy” now has an opportunity to finally get one back in an entirely different sport.
Third time’s the charm?
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