Khamzat Chimaev weighs in surprisingly light for his RAF Moscow return against heavier Tyron Woodley

Khamzat Chimaev came in lighter than Tyron Woodley for their wrestling match.

The pair of MMA stars will headline Saturday’s RAF Moscow event at the Arena Mytishchi, as Real American Freestyle touches down in Russia for the first time.

Since launching in 2025, the wrestling organization has been making a splash in combat sports, partly thanks to UFC fighters like Arman Tsarukyan crossing over to the mats.

Chimaev followed suit by debuting against Dillon Danis this past June. Before the win, he tipped the scales at more than 200 pounds, but the same cannot be said for the former middleweight champion’s second match.

Like Chimaev, Woodley won his RAF debut. The former UFC welterweight champion beat Joaquin Buckley in late August to record his first combat sports victory since 2018.

The veteran now faces a bigger hurdle in the form of ‘Borz’, but Woodley may at least have an unexpected size advantage.

Despite winning his UFC title 15 pounds below where Chimaev did, the American weighed in heavier than his Chechen opponent on the morning of RAF Moscow.

While Woodley tipped the scales at 193.6 pounds, Chimaev came in at 192.5 pounds, which is just 7.5 pounds above the mark for UFC middleweight title fights.

The surprisingly light weigh-in comes after Chimaev weighed over 200 pounds for his RAF debut against Danis.

🇦🇪 Khamzat Chimaev officially hits the scales in Moscow at 192.5 lbs for his main event wrestling bout with Tyron Woodley this Saturday.

‘Borz’ will be making a quick return to action after September 5. Chimaev has agreed to co-headline RAF 13 in Miami on September 18 against Gilbert Burns.

Some have suggested that Chimaev’s low weight is a sign that he is preparing to make the walk to the UFC Octagon again soon.

The former middleweight king has been pleading with Dana White and co. to book his return, whether it’s a rematch against Sean Strickland or a clash with a fellow contender like Caio Borralho.