Shara Magomedov to face MMA veteran Alexander Shlemenko at RAF Moscow starring ex-UFC champions

Shara Magomedov is all set to face an MMA legend, Alexander Shlemenko, albeit not in a mixed martial arts bout but a freestyle wrestling match.

While Magomedov is considered to be a striking specialist, he's been working on his grappling arsenal as well. The Dagestan-born athlete has partaken in a pair of submission grappling matches, taking on Armenian UFC star Arman Tsarukyan last year and Brazilian UFC veteran Edson Barboza this year, going to a draw on both occasions. 

Shara "Bullet" would be looking to notch his maiden grappling win, in wrestling rather than submission grappling, next. The 32-year-old will take on a revered, well-rounded MMA combatant in Shlemenko under the RAF (Real American Freestyle) wrestling promotional banner. 

The much-awaited cruiserweight freestyle wrestling showdown between the two Russian fighters is set to transpire at the RAF Moscow event in Moscow, Russia, on September 5. 

Shara Magomedov vs. Alexander Shlemenko to be featured at RAF Moscow, as Real American Freestyle wrestling continues global expansion

The U.S.-headquartered Real American Freestyle wrestling organization has made waves since its inception last year, going from strength to strength in the combat sports realm.

Its high-octane matches featuring elite grappling, freestyle wrestling, to be specific, have full-time wrestling competitors like Olympic gold medalists such as Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Kyle Snyder, and Gable Steveson bring their talents to the RAF. 

Additionally, crossover athletes, such as UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler and ex-two-division UFC titlist Henry Cejudo, and many more, have also wrestled in the promotion. 

On that note, UFC middleweight and striking savant Shara Magomedov recently piqued fan interest, as the RAF announced that he'd signed with and will compete for the organization. It's noteworthy that although the UFC generally refrains from permitting its contracted athletes to compete in other combat sports organizations, it does occasionally let them partake in grappling matches in the RAF and elsewhere. 

Magomedov (17-1 MMA), who's an active UFC competitor, will be wrestling against former Bellator MMA middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko in a cruiserweight matchup at RAF Moscow. 

Shlemenko, who's beheld as a great in the sport of MMA, is particularly hailed for his longevity as a fighter. Known to be an International Master of Sport in hand-to-hand combat, the 42-year-old has competed in 89 professional mixed martial arts fights thus far. "Storm" boasts 69 victories, 18 defeats, one draw, and one NC (No Contest) in MMA. 

Moreover, RAF Moscow is said to be indicative of the American wrestling organization's steady global expansion, following its recent RAF Georgia card headlined by the Georgian-American Merab Dvalishvili. 

This match hits 👀

Sharabutdin Magomedov takes on Alexander Shlemenko SEP 5 at RAF MOSCOW.

Tickets available at the link in bio. Watch live on @foxnation in the U.S. Additional international broadcast details to be announced. pic.twitter.com/eWOa9aN5qF

— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA) August 7, 2026

Shara Magomedov and Alexander Shlemenko are fresh off MMA wins; stacked RAF Moscow card to be headlined by ex-UFC champs Khamzat Chimaev and Tyron Woodley

Shara Magomedov is coming off a victory against Michel Pereira, whom he bested via unanimous decision in their middleweight MMA clash at UFC Baku in June. 

Similarly, Alexander Shlemenko's most recent MMA outing witnessed him stop Nikola Dipchikov via submission in a middleweight bout under the Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA) banner at ACA 204 the same month. 

RAF Moscow would be headlined by former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and former UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley. 

Chimaev is currently a member of the UFC roster and regarded as an elite fighter on the cusp of another UFC middleweight title shot, possibly facing archrival Sean Strickland in a rematch.

Meanwhile, Woodley last competed in MMA back in 2021, losing to Vicente Luque via submission in what was "The Chosen One's" final appearance inside the UFC's famed Octagon. His subsequent venture into professional boxing saw him suffer a trio of setbacks in as many matches. 

Nevertheless, both Chimaev and Woodley boast incredible accomplishments in both MMA and wrestling. "Borz" -- born in Chechnya and trained in Sweden -- notched multiple national wrestling championships in Sweden. On the other hand, "T-Wood" is an NCAA Division I wrestler, having faced high-level opposition in his native U.S.A. 

Furthermore, RAF Moscow also consists of matchups between wrestling royalty, namely Jordan Burroughs, who'll take on Magomed Kurbanaliev. Elsewhere on the card, UFC middleweight and wrestling maestro Bo Nickal would clash against Shirvani Muradov.

Notably, Kyle Snyder is set to defend his RAF light heavyweight title against Akhmed Tazhudinov at RAF Moscow. 

Tickets for RAF MOSCOW are now available 🔥

Get yours at the link in bio. pic.twitter.com/SIJq7LRl2x

— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA) August 7, 2026