If you have been following combat sports in 2026, you have probably come across RAF Wrestling — a league that is growing faster than almost anyone predicted. Real fights. Real wrestlers. No scripts. And behind it all is a team that includes one of the most legendary names in wrestling history. So who actually owns RAF? Here is the complete story.
What Is RAF Wrestling?
Real American Freestyle (RAF) is an American freestyle wrestling promotion owned by Real American Wrestling, Inc. and headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Unlike WWE or other scripted promotions, RAF is completely unscripted — it follows competitive Olympic-style freestyle wrestling rules under modified United World Wrestling and USA Wrestling standards.
RAF differs from WWE and other prominent wrestling promotions in that it features Olympic-style wrestling and moves away from the scripted, theatrical nature that other wrestling events have become known for. Competitors include current and former NCAA champions, Olympic wrestlers, and combat sport crossover athletes from MMA.
Who Owns RAF Wrestling in 2026?
RAF was founded on April 30, 2025 by Chad Bronstein, Terri Francis, and Hulk Hogan. The parent company is Real American Wrestling, Inc., a privately held company based in Tampa, Florida. Bronstein launched RAF in April 2025 alongside WWE legend Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, and Izzy Martinez.
Chad Bronstein serves as CEO and is the primary business driver behind the promotion. Eric Bischoff — the legendary former WCW president — holds the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Izzy Martinez serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The freestyle wrestling promotion is backed financially by Left Lane Capital and the venture capital fund Cassius, with $3.5 million raised at launch. One of RAF’s prominent sponsors, Real American Beer, was co-founded by Bronstein and Hogan, with WWE also having a minority ownership stake.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real American Wrestling, Inc. | Parent Company | 100% of RAF | Privately held; headquartered in Tampa, Florida |
| Chad Bronstein | CEO & Co-Founder | Majority stake | Primary business operator and decision-maker of RAF |
| Hulk Hogan | Co-Founder | Co-founder equity | WWE legend; died in 2025; founding partner and brand ambassador |
| Terri Francis | Co-Founder | Co-founder equity | Co-founded RAF alongside Bronstein and Hogan |
| Eric Bischoff | CMO & Key Leader | Management stake | Former WCW president; handles marketing and branding |
| Izzy Martinez | COO | Management stake | Day-to-day operations of the promotion |
| Left Lane Capital | Venture Capital Backer | Financial investor | Provided key funding at $3.5M launch round |
| Cassius (VC Fund) | Venture Capital Backer | Financial investor | Co-backed the launch alongside Left Lane Capital |
| WWE | Minority Stakeholder | Minority ownership | Holds a minority stake via Real American Beer partnership |
| Fox Nation | Broadcast Partner | No equity | Official broadcast home; signed long-term deal January 2026 |
The Origin Story: Real American Beer to Real American Freestyle
The story of RAF begins not on a wrestling mat but in a brewery. Bronstein and Hogan had previously founded Real American Beer (RAB) in 2024. The success of that brand-building partnership gave both men the confidence and the resources to tackle something bigger — a professional wrestling league built around real competition, not entertainment theater.
RAF’s mission is to “professionalize competitive wrestling and create a platform for elite athletes to compete in front of millions of fans.” The founders saw a massive gap in the market: Olympic-style freestyle wrestling produced some of the world’s greatest athletes, but those athletes had no professional league to compete in after college or the Olympics. RAF was built to fix that — giving wrestlers a way to earn real money from their sport for the first time.
The Tragic Loss of Hulk Hogan
One of the most important facts about RAF Wrestling in 2026 is the loss of its most famous co-founder. The inaugural RAF event, “RAF 01: Hendrickson vs. Elders,” held on August 30, 2025 at Cleveland’s Wolstein Center, featured a tribute to Hulk Hogan, who died earlier in 2025.
Hulk Hogan — one of the most recognized professional wrestling personalities in history — passed away after RAF had been launched but before it truly went mainstream. His legacy as a co-founder remains central to the promotion’s identity, and the Tampa, Florida headquarters reflects the connection to his home base.
How RAF Has Grown in 2026
RAF CEO Chad Bronstein says: “We didn’t know it was going to take off as fast as it did. A lot of emerging sports leagues don’t have events every month. Why we’re successful is because we’re pumping out events and creating content.”
Fox Nation extended its partnership with RAF in a new long-term deal announced on January 22, 2026, making it the official broadcast home of all flagship events, international events, RAF Next Gen youth events, and the reality series RAF Undiscovered. The promotion also partnered with ALT Sports Data to bring sports betting to wrestling matches — a first in the sport.
RAF signed two-time Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev in January 2026, one of the biggest signings in combat sports that month. By 2026, RAF was holding monthly events at major arenas across the country — from Philadelphia’s Liacouras Center to Tampa’s Yuengling Center to Arlington’s College Park Center.
The Fox Nation Deal and Media Strategy
RAF broadcast partner Fox Nation airs every flagship event live, giving the promotion a consistent weekly content pipeline that most emerging sports leagues struggle to build. The combination of Fox Nation distribution, sports betting integration, and a partnership with USA Wrestling — which allows current NCAA wrestlers to compete and earn through NIL sponsorships — gives RAF a structural advantage that no previous wrestling promotion has had.
RAF’s upcoming RAF 10 event is scheduled for June 13, 2026 at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, continuing the league’s monthly momentum across major U.S. markets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns RAF Wrestling in 2026?
RAF Wrestling is owned by Real American Wrestling, Inc., co-founded by Chad Bronstein, Terri Francis, and Hulk Hogan in April 2025.
Q2. Who is the CEO of RAF Wrestling?
Chad Bronstein is the CEO and co-founder of RAF (Real American Freestyle), headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
Q3. Did Hulk Hogan own RAF Wrestling?
Yes. Hulk Hogan was a co-founder of RAF, but he passed away in 2025 — the promotion’s inaugural event included a tribute to him.
Q4. What does RAF stand for in wrestling?
RAF stands for Real American Freestyle — a professional Olympic-style freestyle wrestling promotion, not scripted sports entertainment.
Q5. Does WWE own RAF Wrestling?
WWE holds a minority ownership stake in RAF through its connection to the Real American Beer brand co-founded by Bronstein and Hogan.
Q6. Who backs RAF Wrestling financially?
RAF was backed at launch by venture capital firms Left Lane Capital and Cassius, raising $3.5 million at its founding in April 2025.
Q7. Where does RAF Wrestling air in 2026?
All RAF flagship events air live on Fox Nation under a long-term broadcast deal extended in January 2026.
Q8. Who is the biggest star signed to RAF in 2026?
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev was signed to RAF in January 2026, the league’s biggest signing to date.
RAF Wrestling — officially known as Real American Freestyle — is owned by Real American Wrestling, Inc., a privately held company co-founded in April 2025 by Chad Bronstein, Terri Francis, and Hulk Hogan. Bronstein serves as CEO, Eric Bischoff as CMO, and Izzy Martinez as COO. The promotion is financially backed by Left Lane Capital and Cassius, and WWE holds a minority ownership stake through the Real American Beer partnership. Fox Nation is the official broadcast home under a long-term deal signed in January 2026.
In just over a year since its founding, RAF has become the fastest-growing wrestling promotion in America — building a monthly event schedule, signing Olympic champions, and creating a genuine professional league for freestyle wrestlers who previously had nowhere to go after their amateur careers ended.
