Ex-UFC-ranked heavyweight Mike Heck has been covering combat sports since 2015 and is the host for BTL and watch parties. Kyle Snyder, who was previously scheduled to compete at the Real American Freestyle event, is now replacing injured former UFC heavyweights Kyle Snyder at the upcoming event. However, Snyder suffered an injury following a recent win at the World Championships (https://www.mmafighting.com/latest-news/404414/kyle-snyder-rebounds-to-claim-gold-at-wrestling-world-championships-after-olympics-loss-arrest) after losing to NCAA champion Mason Parris. This setback forced him out of his scheduled bout with Parris, leaving Alexandr Romanov, a former ranked UFC heavyweight and current PFL fighter, as the replacement. The event will take place on October 25 at Penn State, and streams exclusively on Fox Nation. Meanwhile, Real American Freestyle announced that the card will be moved from the Rec Hall to the Bryce Jordan Center, an arena with seating capacity exceeding 15,000 people. Romanov, a 34-year-old competitor in the UFC’s octagon, competed 10 times, compiling a promotional record of 7-3. He parted ways with the UFC after a decision win over Rodrigo Nascimento and joined the PFL, where he competes in the heavyweight tournament. Romanov won his first two fights before facing a split decision loss to Oleg Popov in the finals in August. Parris, representing the United States at the 2024 Olympics, lost in the round of 16 but won the NCAA national title in folkstyle wrestling in 2023, representing the University of Michigan.
