Luke Rockhold and Joe Pyfer to Wrestle at RAF 13 Event

Luke Rockhold and Joe Pyfer are set to clash on the mat in a wrestling match.

Real American Freestyle (RAF) has announced a catchweight bout between Rockhold and Pyfer, scheduled for September 19th at the Watsco Center in Miami, Florida. The organization revealed the matchup on Sunday. Despite their notable careers in mixed martial arts, neither Rockhold nor Pyfer possesses extensive wrestling experience.

Pyfer wrestled in high school and is currently a top contender in the UFC's middleweight division. The 29-year-old fighter is on a four-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory being a technical knockout over Israel Adesanya in March. Pyfer joined the UFC ranks in 2022 via Dana White's Contender Series and has since amassed a 7-1 record with five 'Performance of the Night' bonuses.

The 41-year-old Rockhold returns to the RAF mat seeking his first win. The former UFC Middleweight Champion made his organizational debut in January, where he suffered a technical fall loss to Colby Covington. Since leaving the UFC in 2022, Rockhold has competed in several different combat sports, including bare-knuckle boxing, professional boxing, Karate Combat, Jiu-Jitsu, and now wrestling.