How Real American Freestyle Thinks It Could Change the Sport of Wrestling

Real American Freestyle (RAF) has rapidly grown since its April 2025 launch, exceeding CEO Chad Bronstein's expectations. Diverging from WWE-style scripted wrestling, RAF emphasizes Olympic-style events with regular monthly matches. This consistency, Bronstein argues, is crucial for fan retention. The promotion's strategic partnership with Fox Nation, initially for two fights, has expanded to air all 12 of RAF's events, broadcasting to nearly 400,000 Instagram followers and generating substantial monthly views.

The media partnership has been renegotiated eight times, with 34 events signed until 2028. RAF's roster includes high-profile names like UFC champions Khamzat Chimaev, Merab Dvalishvili, and Henry Cejudo, who reportedly earn six-figure paychecks per event. Despite criticism, Bronstein remains optimistic due to successful sponsorships, including those from Real American Beer, Lucy, Spartans.com, and Brio Water.

RAF plans to expand the youth wrestling scene by acquiring U.S. and international youth clubs and launching RAF Next Gen, a six-month tournament series culminating in championship matches alongside professional events. With the death of WWE legend Hulk Hogan, RAF has no planned commissioner, but Bronstein remains open to future partnerships. RAF's ultimate goal is to revolutionize wrestling, aiming to become the NFL or MLB of the sport.