Last night, RAF 5 delivered a defining, full-circle moment. The blockbuster card brought MMA stars, Olympians, and elite wrestlers onto the same mat to answer a simple question about true dominance. For most, it felt like just another event. But for four-time world champion Kyle Dake, it marked the moment he had chased for years. RAF 5 also featured statement wins from other competitors; however, Dake stole the spotlight.

Kyle Dake, the reigning RAF cruiserweight champion, defended his title against Dagestani-Belarusian standout Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau, a bout charged with history and unfinished business following Kadzimahamedau’s callout of the American star at RAF 03. Dake dominated from the opening exchange, controlled the bout from start to finish, and secured a 10–7 victory to retain his belt while avenging a five-year-old loss.

RAF champion Kyle Dake proves he rules the mat over Dagestani opponent

Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau and Kyle Dake have a long-standing rivalry that started at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where they faced off in the freestyle 74 kg category at Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe. Among 16 competitors from 16 nations, Kadik represented Belarus, and Dake represented the USA. They met in the quarterfinals, and despite Dake being the fan favorite, Kadzimahamedau shocked everyone with an 11‑0 technical fall.

Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau advanced to the finals against Russian sensation Zaurbek Sidakov for the gold, while Dake moved to the repechage bracket. In the end, Kadzimahamedau lost to Sidakov, and Dake claimed bronze.

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The tables turned at RAF 5, where Kyle Dake finally addressed his history with the Belarusian star.

“So I wrestled ‘Kadik’ in 2021,” Dake reflected on his original match at the 2020 Summer Olympics. “I wrestled, I didn’t really train for the week leading up to it. I was just cutting weight. Because I couldn’t… That’s no excuse. You go out and compete with what you have. Nobody cares how you’re feeling. I went out, and I competed, and I lost but I came back and got the next best thing the next day and got a bronze medal, and I’m very proud of that.”

After the Olympics, their paths crossed multiple times at events like the World Championships, but timing never worked in their favor. Sometimes Kadik didn’t compete, other times, the Russian star couldn’t make the finals.

They also met at the Paris Olympics in 2024, but Kadzimahamedau “didn’t place.” Last night at RAF 5, Dake finally got his chance at redemption and executed a quick chest-to-chest throw to secure the win. For the American champion, however, it wasn’t about “revenge” but about his “love” for the sport.

Dake sets his sights on UFC elites

RAF has become the new hub for Olympians and world championship wrestlers, giving them the spotlight the Olympics and world championships never offered. While the events once flew under the radar, RAF is now changing the game. Kyle Dake’s rival, Kadimagomedov, has signed with the PFL but has yet to step inside the cage. Dake, meanwhile, has stayed loyal to his wrestling roots and never competed in MMA.

At the same time, he is targeting UFC stars. He once proposed a grappling match to Khabib Nurmagomedov, but it never happened. Now, Dake aims to make that dream a reality through other UFC elites on RAF mats.

“I would love to compete against any of those guys. I’m willing to compete against anybody. So if there’s any UFC guy that wants to throw their hat in the ring, let’s do it. I’m all for it,” said Kyle Dake at the RAF 5 event.

RAF now features wrestlers and grapplers from the UFC scene, including retired stars like Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold, as well as active fighters like Arman Tsarukyan and Bo Nickal. Even Dake admits he knows them for their MMA careers, not for their wrestling achievements.

So, what’s next for 34-year-old Kyle Dake? Should the wrestling legend make the jump to MMA after his wrestling career, or has that window already closed? Drop your thoughts below.