RAF refuses to let Covington-Muhammad rivalry fade away

Real American Freestyle (RAF) is pressing ahead with plans for Colby Covington to face Belal Muhammad at RAF 12 on August 22 in Cleveland, despite escalating tension between the two fighters. Both men secured victories at RAF 11, setting the stage for their co-main event clash. However, a heated post-event press conference saw the rivalry boil over when Muhammad threw a kick at Covington, forcing security to intervene and prevent an all-out brawl.

Covington subsequently stated he would no longer compete against Muhammad, but RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein has made clear the promotion intends to move forward with the matchup regardless. "He's going to wrestle Belal," Bronstein told MMA Fighting. "The question is, is it going to happen in Cleveland, or is it going to happen in Miami?" Bronstein acknowledged that while Covington is an investor in RAF, the final decision on matchmaking rests with him and co-founder Izzy Martinez.

Bronstein assured that Covington will compete in Cleveland no matter what, though the opponent may change if Muhammad is unable to fight. If Muhammad opts out of the Cleveland card, heavyweight prospect Brendan Allen would step in to face Covington, while Muhammad could still meet Covington later in Miami. The situation highlights the volatile nature of fighter relations in smaller organizations and the friction that can arise when promoters must balance investor interests with booking decisions.