Main event announced for first Real American wrestling after Hulk Hogan’s death
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Wyatt Hendrickson will face Egypt’s Mostafa Aly Elsayed Gabr Elders in Real American Freestyle wrestling’s main event on Aug. 30, the company announced Tuesday.
RAF01, the company’s inaugural event, will go on as planned at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland about a month after commissioner Hulk Hogan’s death. Chad Bronstein, Real American Freestyle’s CEO and co-founder, said that’s the way Hogan would have wanted it.
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“From day one, he threw his weight behind this league,” Bronstein said of Hogan in a statement. “He met with athletes. He watched tape, shared stories and showed up like only he could. RAF was personal to him, something bigger than all of us. This league is part of his legacy, and we intend to honor it.”
Hendrickson beat Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson to win the 285-pound national title at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships in March. Hendrickson’s dramatic late takedown in the final gave the Oklahoma State heavyweight the 5-4 win, closed out a 27-0 season and ended Steveson’s win streak at 70 matches. Hendrickson later won the Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top men’s college wrestler.
Hogan was a fan of Hendrickson’s and believed he embodied the spirit of Real American Freestyle. Hendrickson is an Air Force second lieutenant who celebrated with a United States flag after he defeated Steveson.
Hendrickson’s opponent was the final piece to complete the card. Elders was the African Games champion at 97 kilograms in 2024 and qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics in that weight class.
Other men’s matchups include Bo Nickal vs. Jacob Cardenas; Yianni Diakomihalis vs. Bajrang Punia; Darrion Caldwell vs. Real Woods; and Austin Gomez vs. Lance Palmer. Women’s matches scheduled are: Kennedy Blades vs. Alejandra Rivera; and Sarah Hildebrandt vs. Zeltzin Hernandez.
The event will be streamed on FOX Nation.
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