Real American Freestyle (RAF) has grown in popularity since the company was birthed last year.
The late Hulk Hogan, Chad Bronstein, Izzy Martinez and Eric Bischoff formed the league to bring professional freestyle wrestling to the United States and around the world. Wyatt Hendrickson and Kennedy Blades are just some of the top champions in RAF.
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Ray Lewis No. 52 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the bench in the second half against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Feb. 3, 2013. (Getty Images)
RAF was in the rumor mill last week as Bronstein and Martinez told MMA Fighting that they were having discussions with NFL legend Ray Lewis to have a match before the end of the year. The report said a deal wasn’t done but things were trending in a positive direction.
Kurt Angle, the former WWE star who was an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and three-time NCAA All-American wrestler, told OutKick Dropkick he couldn’t see Lewis having much success on the mat against world-class opponents.
“I don’t know if he’s going to be able to do it,” Angle said on behalf of Gambling.com, the guide to the best online sportsbooks. “Ray did wrestle I believe in high school. So, he knows wrestling, but I think he’s going to be there to represent RAF. If they do something with him, I don’t know if it’s going to be a real match.
“But the thing is, every match in Olympic-style wrestling is real. So, if he does wrestle, then good for him. And I hope he doesn’t get hurt, unfortunately. Listen, Ray Lewis is a bada–, but I mean, he’s probably what 55, 60 years old. So, I don’t know if it’d be a good idea for him to get on the mat with some of those studs.”
Ray Lewis, former football player, looks on during warmups prior to the game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Miami Hurricanes during the 2025 College Football Playoff semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (Getty Images)
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Lewis is 51. He was a Florida state wrestling champion before he turned his attention to football and became one of the most dominant linebackers in NFL history.
Angle had a brief spell in RAF as a commentator before being let go. He said there were no hard feelings about being cut and expected RAF to become a dynamic organization akin to UFC.
“I got let go due to budget and I completely understood,” he told OutKick Dropkick. “I wasn’t the greatest at commentary and they brought me in because of my name and they wanted me to go for a year and try it out and so I did it and I really enjoyed it. But they have a great future in front of them. I mean they’re going all over the world. They’re traveling to different countries, doing events. They were in Russia. They’re going to be in Europe, India, they’re going everywhere. They’re traveling like the WWE does.
“And the thing is wrestling in the United States is very popular, but it’s even more popular overseas. So, it’s not as popular in Western Europe, but Eastern Europe, Asia, India, those areas, it’s very popular. So, I think they have a great future in front of them. I think they’re going to do tremendously well, and they’re signing not only the American wrestlers, they’re signing wrestlers from all over the world. So, this is going to be something that is going to turn into a dynamo company. This is going to be, God willing, it’s going to be like the UFC.”
Wyatt Hendrickson in Real American Freestyle. (Fox Nation)
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Real American Freestyle airs live on Fox Nation. RAF14 will take place in Las Vegas on Oct. 23.