Liverpool, Great Britain -after almost a year of industry research and preparation behind the scenes, Global Fighters’ Association (GFA) Today he announced the first in a 12-month program of round tables in the nationwide “selection committee”, marking the formal movement of the organization to the public domain as a representative body for fighters, employees and fans in combat sport.
Designed in cooperation with older political and sports strategies, these expert forums will gather votes from the entire industry to examine some of the most urgent and long problems in sport-assessment and functioning, to prosperity, security, integration, education and responsibility.
The first round table that takes place PowerHe will focus on one of the most smoking fears in sport: Refereeing professional duels. After widespread social fear and athlete related to transparency and consistency of scoring, GFA will order a full independent review in order to examine how decisions are made to assess how they are examined and how the standards can be improved.
Round tables will be conducted and reported by independent lawyers With experience in the well -being of athletes, management and sports regulations. Participants will cover There were fighters at all levels and disciplines, judges, judges, trainers, promoters, broadcasters, gym owners, doctors, financial and legal experts.
Co -founder of GFA Paul Smith Jr. he said: “It’s about opening the door to a real dialogue. Fighters were too often ignored when sporting is being conducted. These round tables are a chance to gather the right people with the right experience, asking the most arduous, most critical questions. We believe that these reports will aid provide greater protection for fighters, greater transparency for fans and aid you achieve sport.”
The sender and co -founder of GFA Nick Peet added: “Boxing and combat sport have huge global potential – but the foundations must be right. It is not about pointing to the fingers; it is about creating a place for the right reform, rooted in experience and expert knowledge.”
While GFA will publish the arrangements and recommendations from each round table, No results or rules are predetermined.
Topics for discussions on the inaugural round tables will include:
Transparency and consistency in professional scoring
Qualifications, responsibility and training for judges
Standards of review procedures after combat
Potential models of structured reviews of scoring
GFA round tables are First in a series of public activities The organization will undertake before formal launch this year.
Colby
Covington believes Gable
Steveson needs to make changes after suffering his first defeat
in mixed martial arts.
The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship interim titleholder singled out
Steveson training under Jon Jones as
one of the changes the Olympian needs to make following his
12-second knockout loss to heavy underdog Sean Sharaf
at UFC
331.
Covington says Steveson should find a new camp and return to
his Olympic wrestling roots
In an interview with Submission Radio, “Chaos†said Steveson has
moved too far away from the wrestling that made him an Olympic
champion, arguing that the heavyweight should return to his roots
rather than focusing on his striking.
“I definitely saw this coming,†Covington told Submission Radio.
“You know, he was over-hyping himself, overlooking other
competitors and he just thought he was invincible. You don’t see
him try to wrestle in any fights; he’s just going straight into
striking. But when you forget about what got you to the dance,
that’s always going to be a recipe for disaster.â€
Covington then suggested that Steveson needs to leave Jones, his
Iowa Central Community College roommate, and train elsewhere.
“Jon Jones is bad energy,†Covington said. “That guy is a demon,
man. So, he should definitely cut Jon Jones, and get to a new camp,
get focused and start believing and start using his wrestling, what
got you to the dance.â€
Real American Freestyle has signed a five-year partnership with the
Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the UAE Wrestling
Federation, with the agreement beginning Nov. 14 at Etihad
Arena.
Khamzat
Chimaev will headline RAF's debut event in the Middle East,
with his opponent to be announced in the coming weeks. Arman
Tsarukyan, Henry
Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev
are also set to compete, with their matchups still to be
revealed.
Real American Freestyle signs five-year partnership with Abu
Dhabi
Chimaev has become one of RAF's crossover attractions since joining
the promotion. The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder made
his RAF debut against Dillon
Danis before facing Tyron
Woodley in Moscow and Gilbert
Burns at RAF 13.
The Abu Dhabi event marks RAF's third international show in its
first year, following events in Tbilisi and Moscow. The new
partnership will establish Abu Dhabi as a recurring stop on the
promotion's international calendar.
“From day one, our ambition has been to bring RAF to the world's
great sports markets, and there is no better place for this next
chapter than Abu Dhabi,†RAF CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein
said. “Abu Dhabi is one of the premier destinations for combat
sports, with the vision and infrastructure to deliver events that
resonate globally. This five-year partnership gives us the
opportunity to make RAF Abu Dhabi a signature event and build
something meaningful for athletes, fans and the region for years to
come.â€
The Nov. 14 card will feature a mixture of Olympic champions, world
champions, NCAA standouts, and crossover athletes from wrestling
and mixed martial arts, with additional matchups and event details
to be announced soon.
RAF IS COMING TO ABU DHABI. 🇦🇪@KChimaev
headlines our UAE debut on November 14 at Etihad Arena.
More of the biggest names in wrestling and combat sports to be
announced.
Khamzat's opponent coming soon.
RAF ABU DHABI. NOV 14.
Register your interest at link in bio. pic.twitter.com/lDN1rX0zbg
— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA)
September 21, 2026
Shavkat
Rakhmonov's recovery and rehabilitation from multiple leg
injuries is seemingly moving in the right direction.
The undefeated welterweight recently shared footage on his
Instagram stories, in which he's seen doing some light wrestling
work. Rakhmonov hasn't competed since December 2024, with multiple
injury setbacks preventing a return to competition. However, the
recent video he and his coach shared online could be a sign of good
things to come.
Shavkat Rakhmonov continues recovery after calling for Islam
Makhachev matchup
Rakhmonov (19-0) was working on his clinch work in the video shared
on Instagram. He appears to be in good spirits and, notably, didn't
have a protective boot on his leg as he did in a recent
interview.
While speaking to AFL Global in an interview posted on Sept. 6, the
Kazakh was wearing a full protective boot. He's now boot-free and
gunning for an Octagon return, evidenced by his comments in said
interview, wherein he said he matches up well with current
welterweight champ Islam
Makhachev.
Rakhmonov expressed frustration after Makhachev did not mention him
among the leading 170-pound contenders, prompting the latter to
respond that he would consider the matchup once “Nomad†has
recovered and returned to action in the UFC.
“Well, Rakhmonov gave an interview recently with a huge brace on
his knee and he says he wants to fight,†Makhachev said during a
media scrum. “Choose him and wait for 1.5 years? Let him recover
and he will become one of the contenders.â€
😅🇰🇿 Islam
Makhachev responds to Shavkat
Rakhmonov who wasn’t happy with him not being mentioned as the
next contender:
“He gave an interview with a huge brace on his knee. He wants me to
choose him and then wait for 1.5 years for him to recover?”
🎥 MATCH TV pic.twitter.com/u5ayP5D7zz
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight)
September 9, 2026