RAF 11 Introduces Groundbreaking Crossover Championship Belt Ahead of Milwaukee Event

Real American Freestyle (RAF) continues to blur the lines between amateur wrestling and combat sports, and the promotion has now revealed one of its most ambitious additions yet.

Ahead of RAF 11, which takes place on July 18 at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the promotion has officially announced the introduction of the RAF Crossover Championship Belt—a title designed specifically for elite crossover athletes who have made their names outside of traditional freestyle wrestling before stepping onto the RAF mat. (MMA Mania)

The announcement marks another milestone for a promotion that has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing organizations in professional wrestling by attracting stars from MMA, Olympic wrestling, collegiate wrestling and other combat sports.

What Is the RAF Crossover Championship?

Unlike RAF's existing divisional championships, the new Crossover Championship is intended to celebrate athletes whose reputations were built in another combat sport before transitioning into Real American Freestyle.

Since launching, RAF has become home to numerous recognizable names from mixed martial arts, including:

• Colby Covington

• Arman Tsarukyan

• Ben Askren

• Chris Weidman

• Frankie Edgar

• Clay Guida

Alongside Olympic champions and world-class wrestlers, these athletes have helped introduce an entirely new audience to freestyle wrestling.

The Crossover Championship appears designed to recognize exactly that type of competitor—a proven combat sports star capable of succeeding on the wrestling mat.

While RAF has unveiled the championship, promotion officials have not yet outlined every rule surrounding the title, including how future contenders will be selected or how frequently it will be defended. (Real American Freestyle)

RAF 11 Already Features One of the Promotion's Biggest Cards

The championship announcement adds even more intrigue to an event that was already stacked with high-profile matchups.

Headlining RAF 11 is one of the most anticipated crossover wrestling matches of the year as former UFC interim title challenger Arman Tsarukyan meets former UFC welterweight title challenger Colby Covington.

The matchup has been building for months after both competitors publicly called each other out following previous RAF victories. Tsarukyan enters the contest undefeated in RAF competition, while Covington has also remained unbeaten since joining the promotion. (LowKickMMA.com)

The card also includes:

• Ben Askren vs. Belal Muhammad

• Frankie Edgar vs. Clay Guida

• Ben Davino vs. Arsen Harutyunyan (Championship)

• Lucia Yepez vs. Felicity Taylor (Championship)

The event streams live on FOX Nation, continuing RAF's growing broadcast partnership as the promotion expands throughout 2026. (MMA Mania)

Why the Crossover Belt Makes Sense

One of RAF's biggest selling points has been its willingness to recruit elite athletes from across the combat sports landscape.

Instead of relying solely on active freestyle wrestlers, the promotion has successfully attracted UFC veterans, Olympic medalists, NCAA champions and international wrestling stars.

Creating a dedicated championship for crossover competitors reinforces that identity.

It also gives fans another major prize to follow while creating fresh opportunities for dream matchups between athletes who built their legacies in different sports.

With former UFC contenders, Olympic champions and wrestling legends all competing under one banner, a title specifically recognizing crossover excellence could quickly become one of RAF's most prestigious championships.

RAF's Rapid Expansion Continues

The Crossover Championship announcement arrives during a period of significant growth for the promotion.

RAF has expanded internationally, recently hosted an event in Georgia, launched its RAF NEXT GEN youth wrestling initiative, and already has additional events scheduled after Milwaukee, including RAF 12 in Cleveland. (Themat)

Since debuting, the organization has focused on combining elite freestyle wrestling with recognizable personalities from MMA and other combat sports, helping introduce the sport to fans who may never have previously followed competitive wrestling.

The addition of the Crossover Championship is another indication that RAF intends to continue building around those marquee names while creating new stakes for future events.

RAF 11 was already shaping up to be one of the promotion's biggest events of the year, but the unveiling of the new Crossover Championship Belt gives fans another major storyline to follow.

Whether the inaugural champion is crowned in Milwaukee or at a future event, the belt represents RAF's unique vision—bringing together world-class wrestlers and established combat sports stars under one competitive format.

As Real American Freestyle continues its rapid rise, the Crossover Championship could become one of the promotion's signature attractions and another step toward making RAF a destination for elite athletes across the entire combat sports world.