{"id":890033,"date":"2026-02-04T02:22:51","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T08:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/04\/ufc-rival-signs-legendary-olympian-khabib-once-wanted-to-see-fight-jon-jones\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T02:22:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T08:22:51","slug":"ufc-rival-signs-legendary-olympian-khabib-once-wanted-to-see-fight-jon-jones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/04\/ufc-rival-signs-legendary-olympian-khabib-once-wanted-to-see-fight-jon-jones\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC Rival Signs Legendary Olympian Khabib Once Wanted to See Fight Jon Jones"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Fresh off the success of RAF 05 last weekend, Real American Freestyle is accelerating its momentum and actively bringing new talent into the fold. The promotion\u2019s roster already boasts Olympic wrestlers, top NCAA standouts, and MMA-linked names such as Wyatt Hendrickson, Bo Nickal, and Kyle Dake. Moreover, the RAF has signed another legendary athlete, with UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov once backing him as a fighter capable of beating Jon Jones.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/p>\n
<\/svg><\/p>\n
\n

Watch What\u2019s Trending Now!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

At the time, Dana White and \u2018The Eagle\u2019 had approved a matchup with a $500,000 purse, but Jon Jones\u2019 retirement canceled the fight. Now, the two-time Olympic gold medalist is set to make waves with Real American Freestyle after signing an exclusive contract that solidifies RAF\u2019s position as a destination for the world\u2019s elite wrestling talent.<\/p>\n

RAF adds Khabib Nurmagomedov-backed wrestler to its roster<\/h2>\n

\u201cAbdulrashid Sadulaev is one of the most dominant athletes the sport of wrestling has ever produced. His decision to sign exclusively with RAF is a clear signal that the top tier of the sport now sees RAF as the professional destination. This strengthens our position with broadcasters, partners, and fans as we continue to scale the platform globally,\u201d said RAF CEO Chad Bronstein.<\/p>\n

Abdulrashid Sadulaev\u2019s move to the RAF marks a major milestone in freestyle wrestling. The two-time Olympic gold medalist, widely recognized as one of the sport\u2019s most dominant athletes, immediately boosts RAF\u2019s credibility. On top of that, \u2018Russian Tank\u2019 shares a close bond with Khabib Nurmagomedov<\/strong><\/a>, as both hail from Russia\u2019s Dagestan region.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/p>\n
\n

Top Stories<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Their connection runs deeper than regional ties. They started training together during the 2024 Olympics<\/strong><\/a>, when Russian officials banned their athletes because of the conflict with Ukraine. During that period, Khabib Nurmagomedov trained directly with the six-time world champion. Abdulrashid Sadulaev claimed Olympic gold in 2016 and 2020, defeating elite competitors like Kyle Snyder three times and champions such as David Taylor.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

There\u2019s only one home for the best freestyle wrestlers in the world. And it\u2019s RAF.<\/p>\n

Abdulrashid Sadulaev has signed exclusively with RAF to compete in professional wrestling.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re honored to welcome one of the greatest to ever step on the mat. pic.twitter.com\/ZtYhaJ66UG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA) January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Throughout his career, he has remained nearly unstoppable with a 160-6 record, shaping the global wrestling stage with his dominance. Although he has never ventured into MMA, his Olympic victories and championship record continue to keep him in the spotlight. Now, with his entry into the RAF, a potential fight against Jon Jones could finally come to fruition.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Abdulrashid Sadulaev Breaks Silence on His MMA Debut<\/h2>\n

Abdulrashid Sadulaev has often faced encouragement to move to MMA, joining fighters like Islam Makhachev<\/strong><\/a> and Khabib Nurmagomedov. At one point, Makhachev even called him the \u201cRussian Tank.\u201d Despite this, \u2018Russian Tank\u2019 stays fully focused on his wrestling career. Still, just as UFC CEO Dana White and his team monitor Gable Steveson closely, they have also kept an eye on Sadulaev.<\/p>\n

\u201cKhabib and I spoke with this guy yesterday via video call. I don\u2019t know\u2026 Khabib thinks very highly of him, I know that,\u201d White said at a press conference.<\/p>\n

When Abdulrashid Sadulaev trained with Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2024, it sparked speculation that the 29-year-old wrestling star might transition to MMA. However, he continues to prioritize wrestling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will never join the MMA. I do have many friends fighting in the MMA tournaments, [and] I am watching their fights, and I get emotional. However, I am enjoying my sport, which is spectacular, courageous, and without insults,\u201d said Abdulrashid Sadulaev.<\/p>\n

What are your thoughts on Abdulrashid Sadulaev potentially moving to MMA? If he ever made the transition, could he take on Jon Jones? How do you imagine that matchup playing out<\/strong><\/a>? After all, it\u2019s rare to see a wrestler like Sadulaev, one of only two in history to win world titles across three weight classes, even considering facing an MMA legend. Drop your opinion below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Joan Grisby
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fresh off the success of RAF 05 last weekend, Real American Freestyle is accelerating its momentum and actively bringing new talent into the fold. The promotion\u2019s roster already boasts Olympic wrestlers, top NCAA standouts, and MMA-linked names such as Wyatt Hendrickson, Bo Nickal, and Kyle Dake. Moreover, the RAF has signed another legendary athlete, with<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":890034,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23485,516],"tags":[6603,9694],"class_list":{"0":"post-890033","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rival","8":"category-signs","9":"tag-rival","10":"tag-signs"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=890033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/890034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=890033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=890033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=890033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}