Real pro wrestling show in South Florida with Kurt Angle, Colby Covington, Steve Mocco (and sons)
When the late, great Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff (known for their top-level success in scripted professional wrestling) began to get involved, help develop a pro wrestling league for freestyle wrestlers, one wondered what term would be best to describe it.
“Real”
Thus, Real American Freestyle, the brainchild of Chad Bronstein and Israel “Izzy” Martinez, was born in April 2025.
RAF is the first unscripted pro wrestling league for the best athletes in the world, some from other fields and others with wrestling backgrounds, such as South Florida’s Colby Covington, Yoel Romero and Steve Mocco.
Competitors include current and former collegiate wrestlers, Olympic wrestlers and mixed martial artists. The promotion provides an opportunity for wrestlers to profit from their craft, as historically both collegiate and Olympic wrestling do not allow compensation. A partnership with USA Wrestling allows current NCAA wrestlers to participate, receiving compensation through NIL sponsorships.
Bischoff, Hogan, Bronstein and Martinez’s goal with RAF: To create a legitimate, professional wrestling league that elevates top amateur freestyle wrestlers into mainstream stars by highlighting their real stories, personalities and elite athleticism while aiming to capture an underserved market with authentic, character-driven entertainment similar to the UFC model but with a unique wrestling focus. They want to provide better opportunities for wrestlers, showcase dedication and build megastars by blending real-life narratives with professional wrestling style production.
Bischoff is the CMO; Bronstein is the CEO; and Martinez is the COO. Respected people in their professions.
The ownership is under Left Lane Capital, a global venture capital firm that invests in internet and technology companies with a consumer orientation. The firm is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, with an office in London.
The much talked about RAF promotion debuted with its inaugural event, RAF 01, on Aug. 30, 2025, in Cleveland. Fox Nation is the official broadcast home of the promotion’s flagship events. A weekly RAF television series will begin airing live in 2026.
Since its launch in August, RAF conducted four events in 2025 (Cleveland; State College, Pennsylvania; Chicago; Fishers, Indiana).
To begin 2026, RAF is bringing its brand, talent and team to South Florida, where top MMA training centers (American Top Team, Kill Cliff FC and MMA Masters) are housed. Those training there include standout amateur wrestlers.
RAF is 8 p.m. Saturday via Fox Nation from Amerant Bank Arena, home to the two-time NHL Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in Sunrise. Calling the action include former MMA standouts Chael Sonnen and Julianna Pena, current MMA fighter Bubba Jenkins and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, a WWE Hall of Famer.
Here is my video interview with Kurt Angle.
The main event in Sunrise features two top MMA fighters as South Florida’s Colby Covington wrestles Luke Rockhold. Covington, formerly of American Top Team in Coconut Creek and MMA Masters in Miami, has an extensive amateur wrestling background.
Here is my video interview with Colby Covington.
Originally from Clovis, California, Covington, 37, is a former UFC champion, All-American collegiate wrestler (Oregon State University), national champion college wrestler (Iowa Central Community College), and state champion high school wrestler (Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon).
The stacked card also includes Champ Bo Nickal, Champ Jordan Oliver, Champ Kyle Drake, Champ Nathan Tomasello, Pat Downey, Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau, Zahid Valencia, Arman Tsarukyan, Lance Palmer, Real Woods, Bo Bassett, Miami’s Yoel Romero and Parkland’s Steve Mocco.
Romero, an RAF interim champ, trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, where Mocco is the head wrestling coach.
Mocco, 44, will be coming out of retirement for one night to compete on the RAF show.
Here is my video interview with Steve Mocco and his sons, Michael and Peter, at American Top Team.
Mocco, who leads the Mocco Wrestling Academy for kids/teens at ATT, is a two-time two NCAA champion (Iowa and Oklahoma State), won the prestigious Dan Hodge Trophy, represented the U.S. at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, won four high school state titles, won four high school national titles and earned multiple Pan American Championships titles in freestyle wrestling.
The last fight for Mocco (5-1) was in MMA in 2015 (a TKO win over Juliano Coutino) in WSOF. He last wrestled competitively in 2012. He is training MMA fighters in wrestling just about every day -- whether it’s ATT fighters, Mocco Wrestling Academy students or his sons.
Flipping the switch, Mocco’s sons, Michael and Peter, will be in his corner for his RAF match on Jan. 10 against 24-year-old Mostafa Elders of Egypt His sons are accomplished high school wrestlers (Coral Springs Charter and Cardinal Gibbons), who have also excelled on the national and international levels. Michael, a senior, is signed with the University of Iowa, which displays a top collegiate wrestling program.
Championship matches on the card:
RAF Light Heavyweight Champ Bo Nickal vs. interim champion Yoel Romero
RAF Cruiserweight Champ Kyle Dake vs. Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau
RAF Featherweight Champ Jordan Oliver vs. Real Woods
RAF Bantamweight Champ Nathan Tomasello vs. Austin DeSanto
Tickets: ClickThisLink
For more information: https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/
This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 1:21 PM.
