Real American Freestyle (RAF) champions have been crowned in various weight classes, and this is a history of their reigns.
Current champions RAF champions as of September 19, 2026.
Men Division Weight Champion Since Days Defenses Heavyweight 285 lb (129 kg) Wyatt Hendrickson August 30, 2025 2 Light Heavyweight 215 lb (98 kg) Kyle Snyder March 28, 2026 4 Cruiserweight 190 lb (86 kg) Kyle Dake August 30, 2025 5 Cruiserweight Crossover 190 lb (86 kg) Colby Covington July 18, 2026 1 Middleweight 175 lb (79 kg) Jason Nolf August 22, 2026 1 Middleweight Crossover 175 lb (79 kg) vacant — — — Welterweight 165 lb (75 kg) David Carr October 25, 2025 2 Lightweight 155 lb (70 kg) vacant — — — Lightweight Crossover 155 lb (70 kg) Henry Cejudo August 22, 2026 0 Featherweight 145 lb (66 kg) Real Woods May 30, 2026 0 Featherweight Crossover 145 lb (66 kg) Cayden Henschel September 18, 2026 0 Bantamweight 135 lb (61 kg) Arsen Harutyunyan September 18, 2026 0
Women Division Weight Champion Since Days Defenses Cruiserweight 170 lb (77 kg) vacant — — — Middleweight 150 lb (68 kg) Kennedy Blades November 29, 2025 4 Bantamweight 130 lb (59 kg) Helen Maroulis October 25, 2025 2 Strawweight 120 lb (54 kg) Lucía Yépez June 23, 2026 1
Men's championship history Heavyweight Championship 216 to 285 lb (98 to 129 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 Wyatt Hendrickson RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 (incumbent)
Light Heavyweight Championship 191 to 215 lb (87 to 98 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 Bo Nickal RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 181 days — Yoel Romero RAF 04 Dec 20, 2025 — Romero was stripped of the interim title on January 10, 2026, after missing weight at RAF 05.Nickal was stripped of the title on February 27, 2026, after the weight class changed from 205 lb to 215 lb 2 RAF 07 Mar 28, 2026 (incumbent)
Cruiserweight Championship 176 to 190 lb (80 to 86 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 Kyle Dake RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 (incumbent)
Middleweight Championship 166 to 175 lb (75 to 79 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 Evan Wick RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 112 days 2 Dean Hamiti RAF 04 Dec 20, 2025 186 daysHamiti was stripped of the title on June 23, 2026. 3 Jason Nolf RAF 12 Aug 22, 2026 (incumbent)
Welterweight Championship 156 to 165 lb (71 to 75 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 David Carr RAF 02 Oct 25, 2025 (incumbent)
Lightweight Championship 146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 225 daysDiakomihalis was stripped of the title on April 12, 2026.
Featherweight Championship 136 to 145 lb (62 to 66 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 91 days 2 RAF 03 Nov 29, 2025 42 daysOliver was stripped of the title on January 10, 2026, after missing weight at RAF 05. 3 RAF 09 May 30, 2026 (incumbent)
Bantamweight Championship 126 to 135 lb (57 to 61 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 133 days 2 Austin DeSanto RAF 05 Jan 10, 2026 251 day 3 RAF 13 Sep 18, 2026 (incumbent)
Women's championship history Women's Cruiserweight Championship 151 to 170 lb (68 to 77 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1TBD
Women's Middleweight Championship 141 to 150 lb (64 to 68 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 RAF 03 Nov 29, 2025 (incumbent)
Women's Bantamweight Championship 121 to 130 lb (55 to 59 kg) The Women's Bantamweight Championship was known as the Women's Flyweight Championship prior to RAF 08. No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 RAF 02 Oct 25, 2025 (incumbent)
Women's Strawweight Championship 111 to 120 lb (50 to 54 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 RAF 01 Aug 30, 2025 297 days — Lucía Yépez RAF 10 Jun 13, 2026 —Hildebrandt was stripped of the title on June 23, 2026. 2 Lucía Yépez — Jun 23, 2026 (incumbent)
Crossover Championship History The RAF created the Crossover Cruiserweight Championship titles as a symbolic special attraction title for athletes crossing over from other sports to compete on the RAF mats. The belt allows non‑RAF competitors, including former UFC fighters, collegiate wrestlers, grapplers, and other crossover athletes, to participate in featured bouts without entering the official cruiserweight rankings or affecting the divisional title lineage.
Cruiserweight Crossover Championship 176 to 190 lb (80 to 86 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 Colby Covington RAF 11 July 18, 2026 (incumbent)
Middleweight Crossover Championship 166 to 175 lb (75 to 79 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 TBD RAF 14 October 3, 2026
Lightweight Crossover Championship 146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 Henry Cejudo RAF 12 August 22, 2026 (incumbent)
Featherweight Crossover Championship 136 to 145 lb (62 to 66 kg)
No.NameEventDateReign(Total)Defenses 1 Cayden Henschel RAF 13 September 18, 2026 (incumbent)
Honorary championship history Legends Championship No.NameEventDateAccoladesRef 1 RAF 06 February 28, 2026 Olympic bronze medalist (1988)Three-time NCAA Division I Champion (1981, 1982, 1983) 2 RAF 07 March 28, 2026 Navy and Marine Corps Medal recipient (2020)Two-time NCHSAA champion (2009, 2010) 3 RAF 10 June 13, 2026 Olympic gold medalist (1972)World Champion (1971)Two-time NCAA Division I Champion (1968, 1969)
References