Fox Nation Enters Wrestling Ring with Exclusive Deal for Hulk Hogan’s Real American Freestyle
NEW YORK — Fox Nation, the subscription streaming service from Fox News Media, has inked an exclusive broadcast partnership with Real American Freestyle (RAF), a new wrestling venture led by WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, along with entrepreneur Chad Bronstein. The deal marks Fox Nation’s second foray into live sports, following its recent agreement with Professional Bull Riders (PBR) for Friday night events. Under the arrangement, Fox Nation will stream RAF’s inaugural event, RAF01, live from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland on August 30, 2025, with a second event slated for later this fall at a venue to be announced.
The partnership aims to blend elite athleticism with high-octane entertainment, reimagining freestyle wrestling for a modern audience. “We’re thrilled to partner with the Real American Freestyle team as they build a visionary brand that redefines the future of wrestling,” said Fox Nation President Lauren Petterson in a statement. “Fusing elite athleticism with unmatched entertainment, it’s an honor to be part of the new era of the world’s oldest and most iconic sport.”
Hulk Hogan, serving as RAF’s commissioner, emphasized the alignment between the two brands: “Real American Freestyle is creating something that’s never been done before, and we needed a partner that understood that and could build with us. FOX Nation is synergistic with our brand, they appreciate the importance of bringing this sport to the masses, and they believe in our goal.”
Eric Bischoff, RAF’s chief media officer, added, “FOX Nation immediately understood the vision we had for Real American Freestyle making them the perfect partner for this historic media rights deal and the first of its kind in the sport. Having the right broadcast partner is critical to putting on a good show for the fans and we are thrilled to be working with FOX.”
Chad Bronstein, co-founder and CEO of RAF, highlighted the professionalization aspect: “Our goal in creating Real American Freestyle was to make historical moves to professionalize the sport of wrestling. This partnership with FOX Nation will create a platform the athletes deserve and bring freestyle wrestling to our fans at home.”
RAF positions itself as a groundbreaking platform that combines amateur-style wrestling—rooted in Olympic and collegiate traditions—with professional entertainment value. In collaboration with the UFC, USA Wrestling, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) organizations, and the NCAA, RAF allows athletes from emerging talents to established stars to compete without restrictions based on their amateur or professional status. This inclusive approach opens doors for the next generation of wrestlers, fostering opportunities beyond traditional circuits.
The venture has assembled a star-studded commentary team for RAF01, including legendary wrestler and Olympian Kurt Angle, former MMA champion and broadcast analyst Chael Sonnen, and MMA world champion Bubba Jenkins, who will provide expert insights during the live broadcast.
Proceeds from ticket sales for RAF01 will benefit Cleveland State University, supporting its athletic and academic programs. The university has long been a hub for local wrestlers, providing opportunities for thousands of students.
The debut event’s fight card features a mix of high-profile matchups, including:
- Bo Nickal vs. Jacob Cardenas
- Yianni Diakomihalis vs. Bajrang Punia
- Darrion Caldwell vs. Real Woods
- Austin Gomez vs. Lance Palmer
- Kennedy Blades vs. Alejandra Rivera
- Sarah Hildebrandt vs. Zeltzin Hernandez
Additional bouts, including a main event, are in development and expected to be announced soon.
This deal comes as streaming services increasingly vie for live sports content to attract and retain subscribers. For context, WWE’s premium live events, such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam, stream exclusively on Peacock in the United States, a service owned by NBCUniversal that has leveraged wrestling to bolster its sports portfolio.
Fox Nation, launched in 2018, offers over 10,000 hours of content, including documentaries, investigative series, and lifestyle programming featuring Fox News personalities. The platform reported 2 to 2.5 million subscribers as of March 2025 and was named one of the top 10 fastest-growing brands among Gen Z adults by Morning Consult in 2023. Subscriptions start at $7.99 per month, with availability on various devices and platforms, including iOS, Android, smart TVs, and services like DIRECTV and YouTube TV.
The partnership reflects broader industry trends, where streaming now accounts for 46% of TV viewership, surpassing broadcast (below 20%) and cable (23.4%) as of June 2025. Fox is also preparing to launch Fox One, a new streaming service combining news and sports, targeting 50 million households ahead of the football season, while operating the free ad-supported Tubi, which boasts over 100 million monthly active users.
As RAF prepares for its launch, the collaboration with Fox Nation could introduce freestyle wrestling to a wider, more diverse audience, bridging the gap between amateur roots and professional spectacle.
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