TAMPA, Fla. – Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, has announced the launch of RAF CLUBS. This new national network of elite wrestling clubs is designed to connect young athletes, coaches, and families directly to the broader RAF professional ecosystem.
The initiative joins the professional league and the recently announced RAF NEXT GEN youth tournament series to establish a fully integrated development pipeline under a single brand.
The first RAF CLUB will open in Tampa, Florida, through the Beebe Trained Wrestling Academy. The academy is owned by RAF athlete and coach Conor Beebe. This initial location represents the first step in a long-term expansion strategy that will include future acquisitions, affiliations, and strategic partnerships across major wrestling markets in the United States.
At launch, RAF CLUBS will offer youth wrestling programs, private coaching, camps, clinics, and performance training. Future expansion plans for the clubs include recovery and wellness services, leadership development, educational programming, and family community experiences. Members will gain access to mentorship opportunities, athlete appearances, and exclusive event benefits, while club owners will receive national marketing support and exposure.
“In a lot of ways, RAF started in a wrestling club,” said RAF CEO and Co-Founder Chad Bronstein. “My son Chase got involved in wrestling, and like a lot of parents, I found myself spending nights in wrestling rooms and weekends at tournaments. That’s where many of the conversations that eventually became RAF began. The more time we spent around the sport, the more obvious it became that wrestling needed a bigger platform. RAF CLUBS bring us back to where it all started.”
This development follows the creation of RAF NEXT GEN, a national youth tournament series. The tournament series is scheduled to debut on July 19 in Milwaukee, immediately following the RAF11 event. Together, the clubs and the tournament series aim to link everyday local training with national competition and professional opportunities.
“The future of wrestling isn’t built on event night,” Bronstein added. “It’s built every day in wrestling rooms across the country, and the demand from young wrestlers to be involved in RAF has been a driving force for developing this pathway. RAF CLUBS allows us to invest in those communities while creating a clearer path for athletes, coaches, and families to become part of something bigger.”
The youth development expansion coincides with a period of domestic and international growth for the league. RAF Georgia, the organization’s first international event, will take place on July 11. The league then returns to the United States for RAF11 in Milwaukee on July 18, followed by the inaugural RAF NEXT GEN tournament the next day. RAF will celebrate its one-year anniversary with RAF12 in Cleveland on August 22.
Athletes, families, and club owners looking for more information on the network or expansion opportunities can visit www.realamericanfreestyle.com/clubs.
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