Khamzat Chimaev Dominates Robbie Lawler Ahead of Colby Covington Bout

Khamzat Chimaev defeated Robbie Lawler via 11-0 technical fall in the co-main event of RAF 14 on Friday night at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Following the victory, Chimaev shifted his focus to his upcoming November 14 cruiserweight crossover title match against Colby Covington at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Chimaev Dominates Lawler at RAF 14

Khamzat Chimaev required less than two minutes to secure a victory over former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler on October 23. The match ended with 20 seconds remaining in the first period, with the promotion officially recording an 11-0 technical fall. Chimaev dominated the mat, securing a quick takedown, a restart on the feet, and a gut wrench to accumulate his points.

For Lawler, the 44-year-old who last fought in MMA at UFC 290 in July 2023, the result served as his debut in the organization. It’s just nice to get in there, grind, and actually have a goal and opportunity to go out there, and compete, and do it at a high level, Lawler said regarding his return to competition.

Upcoming Title Bout Against Colby Covington

With his latest win secured, Chimaev is now scheduled to headline RAF’s inaugural Middle East event in Abu Dhabi on November 14. He will challenge Colby Covington for the cruiserweight crossover championship. The bout is particularly notable as both men remain undefeated in RAF. Covington, who is 5-0 in the promotion, captured the inaugural belt by defeating Arman Tsarukyan in July and successfully defended it against Belal Muhammad in September. While Covington previously demanded Chimaev cut to 185 pounds, the promotion settled the dispute by maintaining the 190-pound cruiserweight limit for their upcoming championship clash.

The rivalry between the two has intensified ahead of the meeting. During a press conference, Chimaev issued a warning to the champion, suggesting that Covington would require an ambulance after their encounter.

It means I can break his neck. … He will need an ambulance to send him back.

Khamzat Chimaev

Covington Mocks Chimaev Before Abu Dhabi Event

The upcoming Abu Dhabi main event follows a series of verbal exchanges between the two fighters. Covington, who competes in Real American Freestyle, has previously mocked Chimaev’s cardio and past health struggles. I think I would break Khamzat. He doesn’t have the cardio to keep up with me. He has those quitter tendencies. I will bring those quitter tendencies out of him if that’s the next matchup, Covington stated in an interview with Red Corner MMA on September 21.

Chimaev, who trains at the Allstars Training Center and represents the United Arab Emirates, dismissed the possibility of a friendly relationship with his opponent. He enters the November card as the hometown favorite, looking to utilize his average of 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes to counter Covington’s non-stop pace. While Covington has secured a five-fight winning streak in RAF, Chimaev’s dominant performance against Lawler reinforces his status as a significant threat in the crossover wrestling format. Whether Covington’s pace can negate Chimaev’s early-match explosiveness remains the primary question for their November title clash.

Tsarukyan and Bella Mir Win at RAF 14

RAF 14 featured additional high-stakes grappling action. In the main event, Arman Tsarukyan defeated Dillon Danis 10-0 in a match that lasted 1:18, leading to a post-match scramble that required security intervention. Tsarukyan is now set to face Neiman Gracie in Abu Dhabi in three weeks. Elsewhere on the card, Brendan Allen, stepping in for Michael Page, shut out Alexander Shlemenko 10-0 in under two minutes, while Bella Mir defeated Hope Chase 10-0 to earn a title shot against Kennedy Blades in the upcoming Abu Dhabi event. Ridge Lovett secured the vacant lightweight title by defeating Jordan Oliver, and Sebastian Rivera earned a featherweight title match against Real Woods at RAF 15 on November 28 in Chicago.

More on this story: Colby Covington Dominates Belal Muhammad via Technical Fall at RAF 13