Ali Akbar RosadyMichael Chandler, the prominent mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and former Bellator Lightweight Champion, marked his return to competitive wrestling mats at the Relative Athletics Federation (RAF) 3 main event on Saturday, delivering a commanding performance against fellow Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Chad Mendes. The highly anticipated bout saw Chandler revert to his collegiate wrestling roots, showcasing a near-shutout display that underscored his enduring grappling capabilities.
The encounter between Chandler and Mendes, both known for their aggressive fighting styles within the UFC octagon, was a significant draw for the RAF event, which aims to provide a platform for professional fighters to compete in a pure wrestling format. While Mendes held a more decorated collegiate wrestling record, earning NCAA Division I All-American honors twice for Lock Haven University, Chandler, an All-American for the University of Missouri, demonstrated superior physical attributes on the night. His size, power, and speed proved instrumental in controlling the pace and trajectory of the three-period contest.
The opening period saw a pivotal moment that set the tone for the match. Mendes, attempting an early offensive maneuver, had Chandler tied up and initiated a roll. However, a misstep led to him slipping off, creating an immediate opening. Chandler, seizing the opportunity, swiftly reversed the position with a roll of his own, securing two crucial points. This advantage was further cemented by an additional point awarded for passivity against Mendes, culminating in Chandler establishing a 3-0 lead heading into the second period.
As the match progressed, both athletes engaged in a tenacious battle for dominant position. The intensity of the contest necessitated several brief pauses, including an accidental eye poke and a couple of head butts. These incidents, while unintended, contributed to visible swelling around Mendes’s eye, yet he continued to compete with resolve. Despite these interruptions, Chandler maintained his strategic control, consistently thwarting Mendes’s attempts to gain significant traction.
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Late in the match, Chandler solidified his victory by scoring another point with a decisive push out. This final point brought the score to 4-1, sealing an impressive win for the one-time UFC title challenger. The performance served as a strong reaffirmation of Chandler’s wrestling acumen, a skill set honed during his time at Missouri where he was a collegiate standout. His record at Missouri included multiple NCAA tournament appearances and an All-American finish in 2009.
Following his triumph, Chandler made a surprising and audacious callout, immediately shifting the narrative from his victory over Mendes to a potential high-profile wrestling challenge. "I’d like to say since 2009, there was a guy out there from the Midwest in the Big 12, who beat me a couple of times that I haven’t been able to get him off my mind. Jordan Burroughs, this ain’t 2009! I’m bigger, I’m faster, I’m stronger, I’m more dangerous! Jump in the RAF ring with me, if you dare," Chandler declared, directly addressing one of the most revered figures in modern wrestling.
Jordan Burroughs, the target of Chandler’s challenge, is widely considered among the greatest American wrestlers of all time. An Olympic gold medalist from the 2012 London Games and a multiple-time World Champion, Burroughs, often dubbed "Mr. Worldwide," has an unparalleled pedigree in freestyle wrestling. His collegiate career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln saw him win two NCAA Division I national titles and the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s best collegiate wrestler. A potential clash with Burroughs, a pure wrestling specialist with an extensive list of international accolades, would undoubtedly represent a monumental task for Chandler, whose primary focus has been MMA for over a decade.
The feasibility of such a super-fight remains to be seen, especially given Chandler’s immediate commitments within the UFC. Speculation continues to mount regarding a highly anticipated lightweight bout against global superstar Conor McGregor, potentially slated for a prominent event in June. This prospective MMA clash underscores the divergent paths of Chandler’s combat sports career and the sheer dedication required to compete at Burroughs’s elite wrestling level.
Elsewhere on the RAF 3 card, several other UFC fighters experienced the rigorous demands of returning to the wrestling mats, with some facing significant challenges against seasoned wrestling specialists. These matches highlighted the distinct differences between MMA grappling and pure freestyle wrestling, underscoring that success in one discipline does not automatically translate to the other.
Joaquin Buckley, a dynamic UFC welterweight known for his highlight-reel knockouts, stepped in as a late replacement for PFL light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson. Buckley faced Pat Downey, a formidable wrestler with a history of collegiate success, including an NCAA Division I national championship for Iowa State. Downey wasted no time asserting his dominance, executing a well-timed throw early in the match to establish a significant lead. He then sealed the victory with a powerful slam, lifting Buckley and bringing him crashing back to the mat. The slam concluded the match, with Downey securing a technical fall – a victory achieved by establishing a 10-point lead – with a decisive final score of 12-0. Post-match, Downey issued a callout to another prominent MMA fighter with an elite wrestling background, UFC middleweight Bo Nickal. However, Nickal, a three-time NCAA champion for Penn State, is already booked for a highly anticipated wrestling matchup against Cuban Olympic medalist Yoel Romero in December, suggesting Downey may have to wait for his desired contest.
UFC Hall of Famer Clay Guida, affectionately known as "The Carpenter" for his relentless fighting style, also made a return to the wrestling mats. Guida, a veteran of over 60 professional MMA fights, found little success against Cayden Henschel. Henschel, an emerging talent in the wrestling scene, delivered a comprehensive performance, blanking Guida with a technical fall of his own, securing an 11-0 victory. This result underscored the generational gap and the specialized nature of high-level amateur wrestling.
In one of the more surprising outcomes of the event, Bella Mir, daughter of UFC legend Frank Mir and a promising Olympic hopeful for 2028, suffered a comeback loss to Alexis Gomez. Mir, who had previously defeated Gomez in a separate encounter, dominated the early portions of their match. However, Gomez mounted a late surge, executing a crucial takedown followed by a rapid-fire succession of turns and scoring points. This late rally allowed Gomez to secure a 7-3 victory, reversing their previous result. The developing rivalry between Mir and Gomez, both considered top female wrestlers in the sport, suggests future encounters could be on the horizon, potentially with higher stakes.
The RAF 3 event showcased a blend of veteran MMA talent testing their wrestling skills against pure grapplers, along with rising stars in the wrestling world. The results highlighted the enduring appeal of competitive wrestling and the specialized skills required to excel at its highest levels.
Full Results for RAF 3:
- Michael Chandler def. Chad Mendes, 4-1
- Kennedy Blades def. Alejandra Rivera, 11-0 tech fall
- Akhmed Tazhudinov def. Anthony Cassioppi, via pin
- Andrii Yatsenko def. Spencer Lee, via pin
- Austin Gomez def. Austin O’Connor, 9-1
- Jordan Oliver def. Real Woods, 2-2 (wins by criteria)
- Cayden Henschel def. Clay Guida, 11-0, tech fall
- Pat Downey def. Joaquin Buckley, 12-0 tech fall
- Alexis Gomez def. Bella Mir, 7-3
- Bo Bassett def. Darrion Caldwell via pin
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