Real American Freestyle Moscow Plan Scrutinized

Real American Freestyle is facing scrutiny over its planned Sept. 5 event at Moscow’s VTB Arena after two sanctions policy experts told ESPN that the American wrestling promotion’s arrangement likely runs afoul of U.S. sanctions. The event is one of Real American Freestyle’s first international shows and is scheduled for an arena connected to VTB Bank, a Russian bank under U.S. sanctions because of the war in Ukraine. The issue is not the competition format itself, but the reported business relationship required to stage an event at the venue.

Real American Freestyle presents unscripted Olympic-style wrestling and has previously held 11 events in the United States and one in the nation of Georgia, according to ESPN. Its Moscow card is set to include former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, along with Olympic gold medalists Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder and three-time NCAA wrestling champion Bo Nickal. The card lists 11 Russian wrestlers and nine Americans, with most matches pairing Russian competitors against American competitors. Those sporting details explain the scale of the planned show, but they do not resolve the sanctions questions raised by the venue arrangement.

Why the VTB Arena link matters

ESPN reported that VTB Arena is owned and named for VTB Bank, which is majority-owned by the Russian government. The arena website says the stadium complex is owned by VTB Arena LLC. Bank financial disclosures identify that company as a subsidiary of BM-Bank, which is itself owned by VTB Bank. ESPN reported that both BM-Bank and VTB Bank are listed as entities under U.S. sanctions. Those sanctions prohibit Americans and American companies from transacting with the entities except in specific circumstances approved by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Richard Nephew, a former State Department principal deputy coordinator for sanctions policy, and Peter Harrell, an attorney and former White House senior director for international economics, told ESPN that exemptions commonly available for humanitarian aid or journalism were unlikely to apply to Real American Freestyle’s event. They said Americans can seek case-by-case exemptions, but Real American Freestyle declined to say whether it had applied for or received a license. Treasury does not share or comment on specific licenses, a department spokesperson told ESPN.

That distinction is important in assessing the report. The experts’ view that the event likely conflicts with sanctions is not the same as a public government finding that Real American Freestyle has committed a violation. A specific license, if granted, could affect legal liability, but ESPN’s reporting does not establish whether one exists. Nephew also told ESPN that a license would not settle every concern surrounding the planned event. Real American Freestyle CEO Chad Bronstein said the promotion is focused on athletes, competition and growing wrestling internationally, adding that it is committed to compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations and is working with independent U.S. sanctions counsel.

Streaming decision adds a new development

Fox Nation had committed to stream every Real American Freestyle event, including the Moscow card. After ESPN asked questions about potential sanctions violations, however, a Fox News spokesperson said Thursday that Fox Nation would not stream the Moscow episode of Real American Freestyle. That decision changes the planned distribution of this particular show without answering whether the event itself will proceed. The promotion was co-founded in 2025 by Bronstein, the late Hulk Hogan, longtime pro wrestling executive Eric Bischoff and wrestling coach Izzy Martinez. This week, Real American Freestyle also announced the U.S. Air Force as an official partner. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed an official partnership supporting recruiting and public outreach efforts, while stating that the arrangement does not constitute official Air Force endorsement of Real American Freestyle or its associated commercial enterprises. The spokesperson said the Air Force does not publicly disclose specific financial arrangements or contract details for marketing and recruiting partnerships.

• The planned Real American Freestyle card is scheduled for Sept. 5 at Moscow’s VTB Arena, a venue ESPN reported is linked through ownership subsidiaries to VTB Bank.
• Fox Nation said Thursday it will not stream the Moscow episode after ESPN asked about the potential sanctions issues surrounding the event.

Real American Freestyle’s Moscow plan now carries a clear sports-business complication beyond the announced wrestlers and matchups. ESPN’s reporting places the focus on the venue’s reported connection to sanctioned entities, while the promotion says it is consulting independent U.S. sanctions counsel. For now, the confirmed change is that Fox Nation will not stream the Moscow episode; the supplied reporting does not establish whether Real American Freestyle has obtained a Treasury license or whether the Sept. 5 event will take place.

Sources: ESPN MMA