Last weekend, Real American Freestyle held its debut event from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio, with athletes from different backgrounds competing in unscripted, wrestling matches. Elsewhere, names similar to Chief Media Officer Eric Bischoff, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart, and Chief Operating Officer Izzy Martinez watched on. One name notably absent from the event, nevertheless, was RAF’s commissioner Hulk Hogan, who died in late July on the age of 71. Still, Bischoff believes Hogan attended the event in spirit.
“He was here with us,” Bischoff told Justin Barrasso of Undisputed. “He was here with me. I felt it. There was an energy, a commitment, a passion, and an attitude backstage that Hulk would have relished. The athletes were phenomenal, and our production crew brought Hulk’s vision to life. And that vision will survive.”
As Real American Freestyle prepared for its inaugural event, Hogan noted that his primary goal was to rework the league’s roster of athletes into mega stars, as he believed they were “the true deal.” At RAF01, fans saw the likes of Nathan Tomasello, Matt Ramos, Yianni Diakomilhalis, Bajrang Punia, and Austin Gomez in motion. UFC legend Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm also made a surprise appearance, stepping in for Kennedy Blades, to tackle Alejandra Rivera. WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle provided commentary for the show alongside Bubba Jenkins and Chael Sonnen.
Details on RAF02 are expected to follow in the approaching weeks, with FOX Nation serving because the exclusive broadcast partner, very similar to they did for the primary event.