Overview
- RAF confirmed Sunday that former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold will meet rising contender Joe Pyfer in a catchweight match at RAF 13 on Sept. 19 at the Watsco Center in Miami.
- The contest is a wrestling‑only, mat‑style match under RAF rules with no striking allowed, creating a different competitive test than an MMA bout.
- Rockhold enters the matchup 0-1 in RAF after a technical‑fall loss to Colby Covington at RAF 5 and is seeking his first mat victory since leaving MMA in 2022.
- Pyfer makes his RAF debut carrying UFC momentum from his March knockout of Israel Adesanya and is using the booking to stay active after missing a planned UFC return.
- RAF is stacking crossover fights on the Sept. 19 card, which is headlined by Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad, as part of a strategy to draw MMA viewers by showcasing grappling-only matchups.