# RAF 02

**RAF 02** was the second live event staged by [Real American Freestyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-american-freestyle) (RAF), a professional freestyle wrestling promotion, held on October 25, 2025 at the Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University in [State College, Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/state-college-pennsylvania), and streamed exclusively on Fox Nation.<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.wrestling.news/articles/real-american-freestyle-raf02-event-guide-final-match-card-how-to-watch-ticket-info-what-to-expect)</sup> The card was headlined by [Kyle Dake](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyle-dake)'s cruiserweight title defense against Boris Makoev and included four championship bouts among its ten matches.<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | October 25, 2025, Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup> |
| Broadcast | Exclusively on Fox Nation, starting 7:00 p.m. EST<sup>[2](https://www.wrestling.news/articles/real-american-freestyle-raf02-event-guide-final-match-card-how-to-watch-ticket-info-what-to-expect)</sup> |
| Main event | Kyle Dake defeated Boris Makoev by decision, 7-1, retaining the RAF Cruiserweight Championship<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup> |
| Other title bouts | Helen Maroulis won the women's flyweight title 6-0 over Samantha Stewart; Nathan Tomasello won the bantamweight title 5-3 over Matt Ramos; David Carr won the welterweight title 18-6 over Amr Reda<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup> |
| Card size | Ten bouts, four of them title fights<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup> |
| Attendance | Around 3,000 attendees, after the debut RAF 01 event drew a sold-out crowd of 4,500<sup>[4](https://athelogroup.com/blog/real-american-freestyle-creates-new-path/)</sup> |
| Follow-up | RAF 03 was announced for Chicago on November 29, 2025<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup> |

## Background and promotion

Real American Freestyle was founded in 2025 by Chad Bronstein together with [Eric Bischoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-bischoff) and the late [Hulk Hogan](https://www.edgepedia.org/hulk-hogan), presenting unscripted freestyle wrestling between Olympic, NCAA, and MMA competitors in a fight-night format.<sup>[5](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1577252-eric-bischoff-confirms-talks-weekly-raf-wrestling-series)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/06/18/real-american-freestyle-ohio-hulk-hogan)</sup> The promotion's debut event, [RAF 01](https://www.edgepedia.org/raf-01), took place in Cleveland in August 2025.<sup>[5](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1577252-eric-bischoff-confirms-talks-weekly-raf-wrestling-series)</sup>

The second event was first announced for November 8 in Penn State University's historic Rec Hall.<sup>[5](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1577252-eric-bischoff-confirms-talks-weekly-raf-wrestling-series)</sup> It was ultimately held on October 25 at the larger Bryce Jordan Center, with a ticket-information update reported by WHTM-TV covering the new date.<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup> [Kurt Angle](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurt-angle) worked commentary alongside Bubba Jenkins, with guest analysts including [Bo Nickal](https://www.edgepedia.org/bo-nickal), and Eric Bischoff served as the promotion's Chief Media Officer.<sup>[2](https://www.wrestling.news/articles/real-american-freestyle-raf02-event-guide-final-match-card-how-to-watch-ticket-info-what-to-expect)</sup>

## Card changes

Days before the event, the lineup changed in two places. Roman Bravo-Young, the former Penn State national champion, was confirmed injured and removed from the card; Matt Ramos took his place, setting up an immediate rematch against bantamweight champion Nathan Tomasello, who had beaten Ramos 4-3 on the first RAF card. Ukrainian Andriy Yatsenko was also removed, with Iowa All-American Austin DeSanto inserted to face 2016 NCAA champion Nico Megaludis.<sup>[7](https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/49_raf/raf-02-card-updates-announced-r100588/)</sup>

## Results

All ten bouts, with winners, methods, and scores as reported:<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup>

- [Bantamweight](https://www.edgepedia.org/bantamweight): Austin DeSanto defeated Nico Megaludis by technical fall, 10-0, in the card's opening match<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup>
- [Welterweight](https://www.edgepedia.org/welterweight): Tajmuraz Salkazanov defeated James Green by decision, 4-4 (criteria)<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>
- Unlimited: Mason Parris defeated Alexandr Romanov by technical fall, 11-0<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>
- Openweight: Cayden Henschel defeated Keelon Jimison by technical fall, 11-1<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup>
- Cruiserweight: Nate Jackson defeated [Carter Starocci](https://www.edgepedia.org/carter-starocci) by decision, 7-2, in Starocci's RAF debut<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup>
- Heavyweight: Jake Varner defeated Pat Downey by decision, 5-1<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>
- Welterweight title: David Carr defeated Amr Reda by technical fall, 18-6<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>
- Bantamweight title: Nathan Tomasello defeated Matt Ramos by decision, 5-3<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>
- Women's flyweight title: Helen Maroulis defeated Samantha Stewart by decision, 6-0<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>
- Cruiserweight title (main event): Kyle Dake defeated Boris Makoev by decision, 7-1<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>

**Main event.** Dake, who won four NCAA titles at four separate weights and took Olympic bronze twice, dominated the handfight right from the start, earned push-outs in each period, and capped things off with a late takedown plus exposure against Makoev, a two-time World medalist.<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup> Maroulis, a three-time Olympic medalist, shut out Canada's Samantha Stewart for the women's flyweight title.<sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup>

## Format and rules

RAF bouts use modified freestyle rules: three two-minute periods, a 10-point lead ending the bout as a technical fall, no overtime, and no brackets or teams. A takedown is worth 2 points, a step-out 1, standing exposure 4 or 5, and a wrestler who fails to score within 30 seconds of a passivity warning concedes a point to the opponent.<sup>[8](https://rafwrestling.org/rules/)</sup> When a bout is tied after three periods, the last wrestler to score wins on criteria, which is how Salkazanov's 4-4 bout with Green was decided.<sup>[8](https://rafwrestling.org/rules/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup>

## Aftermath

The event was followed by [RAF 03](https://www.edgepedia.org/raf-03) in Chicago on November 29, 2025, with [Holly Holm](https://www.edgepedia.org/holly-holm) confirmed for that card.<sup>[3](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)</sup> In January 2026, Fox Nation extended its partnership with RAF in a new long-term agreement to remain the league's exclusive broadcast partner, citing RAF as a top subscription driver for the platform.<sup>[9](https://www.foxnews.com/press/2026/01/fox-nation-extends-partnership-with-real-american-freestyle-in-new-long-term-deal)</sup>

## References

1. [RAF 02 Results: Dake vs Makoev, Full Fight Card, RAF Insider](https://rafinsider.com/events/raf02/)
2. [Real American Freestyle RAF02 Event Guide, Wrestling.news](https://www.wrestling.news/articles/real-american-freestyle-raf02-event-guide-final-match-card-how-to-watch-ticket-info-what-to-expect)
3. [RAF 02 rolls out of State College with more momentum, Illinois Matmen](https://illinoismatmen.com/raf-02-rolls-out-of-state-college-with-more-momentum/)
4. [Real American Freestyle Creates New Path for College Athletes, Athelo Group](https://athelogroup.com/blog/real-american-freestyle-creates-new-path/)
5. [Eric Bischoff Confirms Talks With Multiple Networks About Weekly RAF Wrestling Series, Wrestlezone](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1577252-eric-bischoff-confirms-talks-weekly-raf-wrestling-series)
6. [Hulk Hogan's new endeavor has Cleveland ties, Axios Cleveland](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2025/06/18/real-american-freestyle-ohio-hulk-hogan)
7. [RAF 02 Card Updates Announced, InterMat](https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/49_raf/raf-02-card-updates-announced-r100588/)
8. [RAF Wrestling Rules: Real American Freestyle Scoring & Format](https://rafwrestling.org/rules/)
9. [FOX Nation Extends Partnership With Real American Freestyle in New Long-Term Deal, Fox News Media](https://www.foxnews.com/press/2026/01/fox-nation-extends-partnership-with-real-american-freestyle-in-new-long-term-deal)

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*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

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