Chimaev Faces Burns In RAF 13 Wrestling Match

Khamzat Chimaev meets Gilbert Burns in a wrestling match at RAF 13 on Saturday in Miami.

The bout pairs two former UFC standouts who first fought in mixed martial arts four years ago, with Chimaev taking a competitive decision over Burns in 2022. Now both men have pivoted to grappling competition, according to MMA Fighting, which first reported the matchup.

Chimaev's Return to Wrestling Roots

Chimaev won Swedish national wrestling championships three times as a youth before transitioning to cage fighting, where he captured the UFC middleweight title last year. After losing the belt to Sean Strickland in May, he returned to wrestling under the RAF banner, stopping both Dillon Danis and Tyron Woodley to set up this rematch with Burns.

Burns, a former welterweight title challenger and world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, retired from MMA in April. The Miami event marks his wrestling debut after years competing in submission grappling.

The match takes place at the Watsco Center on Saturday night.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — RAF 13 live blog: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns