Bo Nickal faces Olympic champion on RAF Moscow: Chimaev vs. Woodley card

Bo Nickal will compete at RAF Moscow on September 5, facing Olympic freestyle wrestling champion Shirvani Muradov in a significant matchup on the same card headlined by former UFC champions Khamzat Chimaev and Tyron Woodley.

Nickal, a rising middleweight contender in the UFC, has recently pivoted toward freestyle wrestling competition through RAF (Russian Athletic Federation), the promotion staging the event. The 6-1 UFC fighter won three consecutive NCAA Division-I wrestling championships before entering mixed martial arts as one of the sport's most scrutinized prospects. His most recent MMA victory came via first-round knockout over Kyle Daukaus at UFC White House. At RAF's inaugural event last August, Nickal defeated Jacob Cardenas in wrestling action; a planned bout with MMA veteran Yoel Romero subsequently fell through. Before facing Muradov, Nickal is scheduled to compete against 2026 NCAA Division-I champion Max McEnelly at RAF 12 on August 22.

Muradov, making his RAF debut, won an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling at 96 kilograms (approximately 212 pounds) while competing for Russia. The matchup represents a high-level test for Nickal against legitimate elite-level wrestling credentials.

RAF Moscow will air live on Fox Nation on September 5, with the Chimaev–Woodley headliner serving as the card's primary attraction.