Michael Chandler has his next competitive assignment – but it’s not in a cage.
While he awaits his next UFC booking, Chandler will face former UFC title challenger Chad Mendes in a wrestling match at Real American Freestyle 3. The match, which takes place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago and streams on Fox Nation, will be three two-minute rounds.
Mendes and Chandler both pivot away from the world of fighting, if just briefly, to return to their combat sports roots. Mendes was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American at California Polytechnic State University. Chandler was a one-time NCAA Division I All-American at University of Missouri.
Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling officially launched in 2025 by Chad Bronstein, Terri Francis, and the now-deceased Terry Bollea, a.k.a. Hulk Hogan.
RAF promoted its first event in August and featured MMA notables Bo Nickal, Darrion Caldwell, Lance Palmer, and Holly Holm in addition to wrestlers such as Wyatt Hendrickson and Kyle Dake.
It return for its second event Saturday, which featured Mason Parris, Pat Downey, Kyle Dake, Alexandr Romanov and others.
The current RAF 3 lineup includes:
- Chad Mendes vs. Michael Chandler
- Bo Bassett vs. Darrion Caldwell
