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Brave Combat Federation

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BRAVE Combat Federation
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 in Brave Combat Federation
SportMixed martial arts
Founded2016; 8 years ago (2016)
FounderKhalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa
PresidentMohammed Shahid
CountryBahrain
HeadquartersSeef
Official websitewww.bravecf.com

BRAVE Combat Federation is a[1] mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in Bahrain. The organization was established on 23 September 2016 by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.[2] BRAVE Combat Federation features mixed martial artists from more than 80[3] nations located in five continents. BRAVE Combat Federation events are aired though multiple media partners including El Rey Network, Combate, Myx TV, S+A ESPN 5 and Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation. BRAVE Combat Federation produced six pay-per-view events apart from announcing events in Abu Dhabi and Brazil.[4][5] In 2023, BRAVE Combat Federation set a new record for an MMA promotion hosting events in most number of nations after organizing events in 30 nations worldwide.[6]

The organization was formally launched in 2016 and has established operations in Dublin,[7] São Paulo and Mumbai[8] prior to launching events and for talent relations. BRAVE Combat Federation, alongside the holding company, KHK MMA and Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation hosted the IMMAF World Championships in November, 2017,[9] a partnership which was renewed for 2018 and 2019[10]

In July 2021, BRAVE Combat Federation was nominated for the first time as Promotion of the Year on the World MMA Awards.[11] The organization also has global strategic partnerships with fellow fight promoters Real Xtreme Fighting (RXF), LFC, RXF, WEF, WFC, BFN, Krespost, PRO FC, RSM, Golden Cage, Oktagon, GEC, Beast CF, ATF, NFC, Hexagone MMA, Fight2One, and Victorious Fighting and Entertainment.[12][13][14]

History

[edit]

KHK MMA

[edit]

KHK MMA is a Bahrain based mixed martial arts organization that promotes the growth of mixed martial arts in the region. KHK MMA is also the holding company of BRAVE Combat Federation. KHK MMA was established by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.[15] Bahrain MMA is the official gym for KHK MMA.[16] KHK MMA launched operations of BRAVE Combat federation on July 27, 2016, and officially launched the promotion on 23 September 2016.[15] KHK MMA Fight Team features fighters from multiple promotions including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Frankie Edgar, Jose Torres[17] and James Gallagher.[18] Coaches and UFC Hall of Famers like Renzo Gracie, John Kavanagh, Bob Schirmer, and Pete Williams are also working with KHK MMA.[19]

Launch of BRAVE Combat Federation

[edit]

After establishing KHK MMA as a rising force within the MMA world,[20] Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa started working towards introducing a global event.

BRAVE Combat Federation was officially launched during a press conference held in the Kingdom of Bahrain on July 27, 2016.[21] Less than two months later, Brave 1: The Beginning took place in Isa Town, Bahrain, on September 23, 2016, a date which coincided with Sheikh Khalid's birthday.[22] BRAVE rounded up the first few months of its operations with BRAVE 2: Dynasty, also taking place in Bahrain[23]

2017

[edit]

Brazil

[edit]

After capturing the attention of the MENA region, with two shows in Bahrain, BRAVE CF took the step to further develop the brand in other regions, as well as strengthening Bahraini sports' position in the international scene.[24] Brazil was chosen to be the first country to host a BRAVE event outside its homeland, with future Lightweight champions Lucas "Mineiro" Martins and Luan Santiago, as well as former Welterweight titleholder Carlston Harris among the fighters who made their promotional debuts at BRAVE 3: Battle in Brazil.[25] The fight card was also the first appearance of former UFC champion and KHK MMA fighter Frankie Edgar as a color commentator[26]

First World champion

[edit]

Continuing its trend of international fight nights, BRAVE Combat Federation made its debut in Abu Dhabi and crowned its first-ever world champion. French-Algerian submission specialist Elias Boudegzdame defeated Masio Fullen in the main event of BRAVE 4: Unstoppable and became the promotion's maiden Featherweight world champion.[27]

The show also witnessed the promotional debut of Middle East superstar Mohammad Fakhreddine, who was scheduled to headline BRAVE 1: The Beginning before he suffered an injury.[28] "The Latest" faced off against Brazil's Vinicius Cruz and won by TKO in the second round.

Trips to India, Kazakhstan, and Mexico

[edit]

After Brazil and the United Arab Emirates, BRAVE continued to travel around the world, as India, Kazakhstan, and Mexico were all treated to events between April and July.

BRAVE 5: Go For Glory took place in Mumbai, India, on April 22, and had an anticlimactic main event, as Carl Booth and Tahar Hadbi fought to a No Contest, due to a timekeeping error.[29]

Brave 6: Kazakhstan happened a week later, in Almaty, where future Super Lightweight world champion Eldar Eldarov bested Brazilian Henrique Rasputin by TKO. It was also home to the first-ever BRAVE female fight, as Flyweight Mariya Agapova beat Yulia Litvinceva by TKO in the first round.[30]

Finally, BRAVE 7 took place in Mexico, and future world title challenger Alejandro "Pato" Martinez came out victorious in a grudge match against Fabian Quintanar.[31]

Two new World champions

[edit]

For BRAVE 8: The Rise of Champions, the promotion went back to Curitiba, Brazil, after its successful debut in March.[32] It was the first time BRAVE put two different titles on the line, with Welterweights Carl Booth and Mohammad Fakhreddine initially scheduled to face off, as well as Light Heavyweights Klidson Abreu and Timo Feucht.[33]

On the eve of weigh-ins, Fakhreddine was forced to pull out of the fight after feeling ill during the weight-cut process. He was substituted by Carlston Harris,[34] who ended up surprising Booth and winning the title by decision.

In the main event, Klidson Abreu bested Timo Feucht and became the first Brazilian champion for BRAVE [35]

Return to Bahrain with International Combat Week

[edit]

For the year's last event, BRAVE decided to create the first-ever International Combat Week, in partnership with the IMMAF.[36] The agreement stated that the ICW would happen for, at least, the next three years,[37] with a BRAVE show closing out the Amateur World Championships.

BRAVE 9: The Kingdom of Champions also crowned two new titleholders, at Lightweight and Bantamweight.

Ottman Azaitar beat Alejandro "Pato" Martínez in the main event to capture the Lightweight belt, while Stephen Loman knocked out Gurdarshan Mangat to become the first-ever Bantamweight champion.[38]

Elias Boudegzdame was initially scheduled to defend his Featherweight title against Lucas "Mineiro" Martins, but the bout was called off after the challenger fell ill during the weight cut.[39]

MMA legend and BRAVE ambassador Wanderlei Silva attended the event, as well as Frankie Edgar, who served as the color commentator for the broadcast.[40]

2018

[edit]

First title defense

[edit]

After not being able to defend his belt at BRAVE 9, Elias "Smile" Boudegzdame was scheduled to take on Jakub Kowalewicz in the main event of BRAVE 10,[41] the first event of 2018, which also served as BRAVE's debut in Jordan.[42]

Boudegzdame made history in the main event of BRAVE 10, as he successfully defended his Featherweight title with a fourth-round submission of Kowalewicz, in a night marked by a clean sweep of Jordanian fighters.[43]

Return to Brazil and Indonesia debut

[edit]

In March 2018, the promotion returned for its third event in Brazil, this time in Belo Horizonte, for another title doubleheader.[44] Lucas "Mineiro" Martins won the interim Lightweight belt in the main event, beating Luan "Miau" Santiago by TKO in the last seconds of their fight,[45] while Klidson Abreu successfully defended his Light Heavyweight throne by submitting Matt Baker,[46] who stood in for Kennedy Nzechukwu, forced to pull out due to injury.[47]

In May, BRAVE continued to visit new destinations, this time traveling to Jakarta, Indonesia, for BRAVE 12: KHK Legacy.[48]

In the main event, Eldar Eldarov continued his winning streak by outpointing Brian Hooi in the scorecards, going 3-0 for BRAVE CF.[49]

Europe Evolution

[edit]

BRAVE's maiden trip to Europe took place at The SSE Arena, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as the promotion organized BRAVE 13: Europe Evolution, on June 9, with 28 fighters from 15 nations in action.[50]

In the main event, Bantamweight champion Stephen Loman beat Frans Mlambo, a training partner of Conor McGregor, in a rematch of their 2016 fight, back at Brave 1.[51]

The UFC superstar was in attendance to watch Mlambo and his teammate Cian Cowley, who had a successful debut, stopping Daniel Olejniczak to score his first professional MMA victory.[52]

African debut

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation became the first global MMA promotion to do a show in Africa,[53] as the organization hosted BRAVE 14, in Tangier, Morocco, on August 18.[54]

The event was hosted under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, the king of Morocco.[55]

In the main event, then-Lightweight champion Ottman Azaitar moved up to Welterweight to face Danijel Kokora and came out victorious via first-round TKO.[56]

A few weeks after his appearance at BRAVE 14, Azaitar was stripped of his Lightweight title for not defending it. The vacated belt would be contested later in the year, at BRAVE 18.[57]

The show was also marked by the debuts of former UFC fighter Jeremy Kennedy, who beat Danyel Pilo in the co-main event,[58] and future Welterweight world champion Abdoul Abdouraguimov, winner via TKO in the first round against Sidney Wheeler.[59]

Furthermore, the Moroccan crowd witnessed BRAVE's fastest-ever KO, as Djamil Chan ended Alejandro "Pato" Martinez's night at 29 seconds of their bout.[60]

New territories and return to Abu Dhabi

[edit]

After its first trip to Africa, BRAVE returned to South America, this time hosting its first-ever Colombia event.[61] BRAVE 15 took place in Bucaramanga and featured former UFC standout Godofredo Pepey taking on local star Alex "Rolo" Torres in the main event, and other six Brazilian fighters scheduled to take on other Latin American athletes from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Peru,[62] with a clean sweep for Brazil, including Pepey submitting Torres and debut victories for Featherweight Gabriel "Fly" Miranda and Welterweight Geraldo "Luan Santana" Neto[63]

Sandwiched between two events in new territories (the other being BRAVE 17, in Pakistan) was the return of BRAVE to Abu Dhabi. The fight card for BRAVE 16 was topped by a title doubleheader as Carlston Harris (Welterweight) and Elias Boudegzdame (Featherweight) looked to defend their crowns in the two main fights.[64]

However, they were both bested by Jarrah Al-Selawe and Bubba Jenkins, respectively, and two new champions were crowned.[65]

As in other countries, BRAVE also became the first global event to host a fight night in Pakistan.[66] BRAVE 17 took place in Lahore and saw the emergence of Abdoul Abdouraguimov as a title contender, with the French-Russian submission specialist dominating veteran Rodrigo Cavalheiro en route to a unanimous decision victory[67]

International Combat Week 2018

[edit]

The second edition of the International Combat Week, which culminated with BRAVE 18, was scheduled between November 12 and November 17, with the promotion's return to Bahrain coming on November 16.

BRAVE 18 was initially scheduled with three title fights, a first in company history. The Lightweight division would have a new champion after Ottman Azaitar's departure, Bantamweight kingpin Stephen Loman would look to defend his crown once again, while Velimurad Alkhasov and Marcel Adur would fight for the inaugural Flyweight crown[68]

In the main event of the evening, Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady stopped Lucas "Mineiro" Martins, then interim champion, and unified the Lightweight championship,[69] which was vacated earlier in the year due to inactivity by Ottman Azaitar.

Bantamweight champion Stephen Loman became the first titleholder to defend his crown twice for BRAVE as he beat Brazil's Felipe Efrain by decision in the co-main event.[69]

The Flyweight division remained without a champion, as Velimurad Alkhasov beat Marcel Adur via unanimous decision. Since the Russian powerhouse missed weight, the title would only be up for grabs in case of a win for Adur[70]

The event was attended by a host of big names such as Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jose "Shorty" Torres, Lenne Hardt and Sean O'Malley (fighter)[71]

Busiest month

[edit]

December 2018 was the busiest month in the promotion's short history. BRAVE organized three events in three different countries, with a total of 12 shows in 12 nations for 2018.

BRAVE 19 took place on December 8, in Sun City, South Africa, another country which hosted an international MMA show for the first time with BRAVE Combat Federation[72]

In the main event, South African prospect Mark Hulme beat American veteran Adam Townsend by unanimous decision, in a violent bout, marked by a cut in Townsend's scalp, coming from an elbow from his opponent[73]

Two weeks later, the promotion made its much-awaited return to India, this time in Hyderabad, where Sidney Wheeler was initially scheduled to take Leon Aliu in the main event.[74] However, Aliu was forced to pull out due to injury and was replaced by Khamzat Chimaev.[75]

The Swede continued his trend of first-round TKO's by ending Wheeler's night after only 35 seconds, despite having only nine days to prepare for his first main event with BRAVE.[76]

Finally, the year was closed out by another debut country, with Saudi Arabia also having its first taste of international MMA with BRAVE 21, which was held in Jeddah, on December 28.[77]

Jeremy Kennedy continued his string of finishes under BRAVE as he overwhelmed rising star Marat Magomedov en route to a third-round TKO, in a bout that served as the main event[78]

2019

[edit]

Debut in the Philippines

[edit]

With the success of Bantamweight champion Stephen Loman, BRAVE announced in November 2018 it would make its debut in the Philippines in 2019.[79] After weeks of speculation, BRAVE 22 was announced for March 15,[80] at the Mall of Asia Arena.[81]

The show featured the third title defense of Loman's title, as he took on former Featherweight champion Elias Boudegzdame, dropping down to Bantamweight for the first time under BRAVE.[82]

The show would initially feature the debut of amateur world champion Jose Torres, who would take on Amir Albazi in the co-main event.[83]

However, the American fighter was forced to withdraw due to injury and the bout was moved to BRAVE 23.[84]

In the main event, Loman maintained his undefeated Brave record with another dominant performance, knocking out Boudegzdame in the fourth round of their championship bout[85]

Return to Jordan and Super Lightweight debut

[edit]

BRAVE 23: Pride and Honor took place on April 19, in Amman, Jordan, and the biggest story was the inauguration of the Super Lightweight division, with a title fight between Eldar Eldarov and Mounir Lazzez[86]

Aside from that, BRAVE 23 also featured another two title fights, with the main event happening between Welterweight champion Jarrah Al-Selawe and challenger Abdoul Abdouraguimov. The bout was also the official start of the Welterweight division as a 175 lbs weight class[87]

Finally, Lightweight world champion Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady would look to defend his title against Luan "Miau" Santiago, who was fresh off a decision victory against Djamil Chan[88]

In the main event, Abdouraguimov won a split decision to become the new Welterweight world champion in a very closely contested bout[89]

Eldarov became the first-ever Super Lightweight champion with a decision victory over Mounir Lazzez,[90] and Luan Santiago also knocked Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady off his throne with a spinning elbow KO.[91]

London extravaganza and South America tour

[edit]

On July 25, BRAVE Combat Federation made its much-anticipated debut in London. With a seven-fight card in an invite-only show with hundreds of influencers, celebrities, and politicians.[92] In the main event, Bubba Jenkins successfully defended his Featherweight title against Brazil's Lucas Mineiro.[93]

A little more than a month later, BRAVE made its annual trip to Brazil, once again hosting an event in Belo Horizonte.[94] In the main event, newly crowned Lightweight world champion Luan Santiago ended up submitted in the first seconds of his bout against Cleiton Silva, who became the fifth BRAVE CF Lightweight titleholder.[95]

A week later, BRAVE returned to Colombia, when former UFC fighter Felipe Silva made his promotional debut. Silva scored a TKO victory over Dumar Roa, while Luana Pinheiro became the first woman with two BRAVE CF wins, by submitting Yasmeli Araque also in the first round of BRAVE 26.[96]

KHK World Championships

[edit]

After successful events in Abu Dhabi and Romania, BRAVE Combat Federation turned its attention to its biggest show ever, which took place on November 15 in Isa Town, Bahrain. BRAVE CF 29 crowned the first-ever KHK World Champion, in a one-night, four-men, openweight tournament, that included Brazilians Guto Inocente and Kleber Orgulho, as well as Russian powerhouse Azamat Murzakanov and Lebanon superstar Mohammad Fakhreddine.[97]

After two fights in one night, Azamat Murzakanov came out victorious. He took home US$100,000, and also became the provisional holder of the KHK belt, weighing 6.2 kg of gold.[98][99]

Return to India

BRAVE Combat Federation returned to India[100] for BRAVE CF 30 on November 23, 2019. The event was headlined by the Bantamweight title fight between champion Stephen Loman and Louie Sanoudakis. The card also had a strong presence of Indian fighters as well. Stephen Loman retained the title with a unanimous decision victory in the main event.[101]

Kyrgyzstan debut, return trips to South Africa and Saudi Arabia

[edit]

After its return to India, BRAVE CF wrapped up 2019 with three more events: BRAVE CF 31 (South Africa), BRAVE CF 32 (Kyrgyzstan), and BRAVE CF 33 (Saudi Arabia).

At BRAVE CF 31, hometown favorite Chad Hanekom was upset by KO machine Daniel ‘’Gaucho’’ Pereira in the main event for the inaugural Middleweight championship.[102] At BRAVE CF 32, headlined by Carl Booth beating Hayder Hassan[103] the stand-out event was the debut of future Lightweight world champion Abdisalam Kubanychbek. BRAVE CF 33  wrapped up with its second event in Saudi Arabia, headlined by Ikram Aliskerov successfully returning to Middleweight and beating Diego Gonzalez, from Sweden.[104]

2020

[edit]

Slovenia debut, Covid-19 cancellations

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation kicked off 2020 with its first show in Slovenia, in partnership with WFC, the leading regional promotion in Ljubljana.[105] The organization announced BRAVE CF 35 (Brazil), BRAVE CF 36 (Romania), and BRAVE CF 37 (Sweden). However, the shows were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[106]

BRAVE CF returned to action in July, with BRAVE CF 35 and BRAVE CF 36 taking place in Romania,[107] in closed venues. Then, the organization moved on to Sweden for BRAVE CF 37, 38, 39, 40.[108]

During this run, many notable names made their debuts or returns to action in BRAVE CF, including Muhammad Mokaev, Anton Turkalj, Tahar Hadbi, Abdoul Abdouraguimov, Benoit St. Denis, and Carl Booth.

Kombat Kingdom

[edit]

In September of 2021, BRAVE CF kicked off the first Kombat Kingdom series in the Kingdom of Bahrain, with BRAVE CF 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 all taking place in the space of two months. During this run, two new champions emerged, as Mohammad Fakhreddine took the Middleweight belt from Daniel ‘’Gaucho’’ Pereira [109] and Amin Ayoub beat Cleiton Silva to win the Lightweight title.[110]

A previously announced Flyweight tournament to decide the first-ever BRAVE CF 125-pound world champion kicked off at BRAVE CF 42, with Velimurad Alkhasov and Zach Makovsky advancing to face each other, while Jose Torres and Sean Santella fought to a draw.[111]

2021

[edit]

Debut in Russia

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation kicked off 2021 in style with its first-ever event in Russia. In association with Krepost Selection, the organization hosted BRAVE CF 46 in Sochi.[112] Super Lightweight world champion Eldar Eldarov successfully defended its 165-pound world title against Leonardo Mafra.[113]

Return of Kombat Kingdom

[edit]

BRAVE CF then announced a series of four events, culminating with a historic BRAVE CF 50. To celebrate the occasion, the organization hosted BRAVE CF 47, 48, 49, and 50 at the historic Arad Fort, in Arad, Bahrain.[114]

BRAVE CF 47, themed as Asian Domination, showcased top fighters from the continent, headlined by Abdisalam Kubanychbek (Kyrgyzstan) beating Rolando Dy (Philippines) by second round corner stoppage.[115]

At BRAVE CF 48, named as Arabian Night, the top athletes from the region faced off with the likes of Murtaza Talha (Bahrain), Ahmed Labban (Lebanon), Maysara Mohammed (Egypt), and Husseim Salem (Iraq) earning huge wins.[116]

BRAVE CF 49: Super Fights featured the return of Muhammad Mokaev, who beat Abdul Hussein in a duel of IMMAF world champions; Jose Torres advancing to the semifinal of the Flyweight tournament by beating Blaine O’Driscoll (who replaced an injured Sean Santella), and was headlined by a Super Lightweight bout between Benoit St. Denis and Luan Santiago, which was won by St. Denis.[117]

Finally, at BRAVE CF 50, the organization put together a huge fight card, with 16 fights. Initially the fight card featured three title fights, but the Light Heavyweight title fight between Mohammad Fakhreddine and Mohamed Said Maalem fell through moments before both men were due to make the walk,[118] and earlier in the week Ahmed Amir fell injured and was unable to face champion Amin Ayoub.[119]

Nevertherless, BRAVE CF 50 delivered big time with Jarrah Al-Silawi defending his Super Welterweight title with a second-round TKO of Ismail Naurdiev, as well as Anton Turkalj landing the fastest knockout in company history, by beating Konstantin Soldatov in 13 seconds.[120]

BRAVE CF 50 also featured the first semifinal of the Flyweight tournament, with Velimuad Alkhasov advancing to the final, while Ali Bagautinov beat Dustin Ortiz to book a place in the second semifinal against Jose Torres.[121]

European Tour and Kazakhstan event

[edit]

For the remainder of 2021, BRAVE CF would host events primarily in Europe, with the exception of BRAVE CF 53, which took place in Kazakhstan.

BRAVE CF 51 was hosted in Belarus, with the organization pitting former champion Lucas Martins against Marcel Grabinski in the main event. However, moments after the co-main event, the organization announced Grabinski fell ill backstage and the main event was cancelled[122]– the bout was rescheduled for BRAVE CF 53, but once again Marcel fell out, this time due to COVID-19.[123]

BRAVE CF 52 was the organization's first trip to Italy.[124] In association with The Golden Cage, the event was headlined by the Light Heavyweight world title fight that fell through at BRAVE CF 50. The fallout from the cancellation has created a major stir in the Arab MMA world and Mohamed Said Maalem and Mohammad Fakhreddine became bitter rivals in the build-up to the fight.

On fight night, Said Maalem initially beat Fakhreddine to capture the 205-pound title, but the result was overturned to a No Contest, due to illegal blows on the back of Fakhreddine's head.[125] The fallout from the event would add fuel to the fire in what is widely known as one of the bitterest rivalries in Arab MMA history.

At BRAVE CF 53, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, BRAVE CF partnered with Octagon League, promoting the return of Azat Maksum and the promotional debut of highly regarded top prospect Asu Almabaev, who beat former M-1 champion Aleksandar Doskalchuk. In the main event of the evening, a fight of the year candidate took place as South-Korean star Tae Kyun Kim beat hometown favorite Nurzhan Akishev.[126]

BRAVE CF then returned to Europe for BRAVE CF 54, which took place in Konin, Poland and was headlined by Amin Ayoub defending his world title against Ahmed Amir. The challenger put on a wrestling clinic to take the Lightweight belt to Egypt. It was also the final BRAVE CF appearance of Muhammad Mokaev, who submitted Blaine O’Driscoll in the second round of their co-main event.[127]

BRAVE Combat Federation returned to Russia, this time to Rostov-On-Don, for BRAVE CF 55, in association with PRO FC. In the main event, Ali Bagautinov was scheduled to face off against Jose Torres for the second semifinal of the Flyweight tournament[128] – however, Torres fell out on fight week, citing weight concerns, with Sean Santella stepping in last minute.[129] Bagautinov beat Santella in the first round to book an all-Russian Flyweight tournament final against Velimurad Alkhasov.[130]

BRAVE CF wrapped up 2021 with its debut in Serbia, in association with MMA Liga. In the main event of the evening, Slobodan Maksimovic narrowly beat Rolando Dy. BRAVE CF 56 also featured winning returns for Ahmed Labban and Borislav Nikolic as well as the successful debuts of Jakob Nedoh, Jovan Marjanovic, and Nikolay Nikolov.[131]

2022

[edit]

MMA Super Cup

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation partnered with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation to host the first-ever edition of the MMA Super Cup, a nation vs nation tournament with the biggest cash prize for the winning federation.[132]

The Kingdom of Bahrain, Ireland, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Balkans Team, Arab Champions, and Team Oceania were in contention, with Bahrain beating Ireland in the final.[133]

BRAVE CF 57

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation organized BRAVE CF 57 to headline the 2022 BRAVE International Combat Week alongside the MMA Super Cup. The show featured three title fights: in the Lightweight division, former champion Cleiton Silva faced off against Abdisalam Kubanychbek for the interim 155-pound title, with the fight ending in a No Contest; Mohammad Fakhreddine and Mohamed Said Maalem finally ended their rivalry as Fakhreddine became the first double world champion, adding the Light Heavyweight title to his Middleweight belt; and in the main event of BRAVE CF 57, Brad Katona edged Hamza Kooheji for the Bantamweight world title.[134]

Debuts in South Korea and Uzbekistan

[edit]

After BRAVE CF 57 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, BRAVE Combat Federation went back on the road, scoring debuts in South Korea, for BRAVE CF 58,[135] and Uzbekistan, for BRAVE CF 59. In the latter event, Abdisalam Kubanychbek finally landed his interim Lightweight world title shot, beating Olzhas Eskaraev, as Cleiton Silva elected to move up to Super Lightweight.[136]

Silva was one of the Brazilian fighters in action at BRAVE CF 60, as he scored a victory over Leonardo Mafra. In the main event, Lucas Martins knocked out Henrique Marques to earn his first BRAVE CF victory since 2018.[137]

Germany record-breaking debut, Kazakhstan return

[edit]

A week after BRAVE CF 60, the organization made its debut in association with local organization NFC. The event was a historic one for BRAVE CF, as the organization reached a landmark number of 28 countries visited, a record at the time for all MMA promotions around the world.[138]

After successful stints in Kazakhstan for BRAVE CF 6 and BRAVE CF 53, the organization returned to the Central Asian country for BRAVE CF 62, which was headlined by Olzhas Eskaraev knocking out Rolando Dy.[139]

Kombat Kingdom 2022

[edit]

October saw BRAVE CF host three events in Bahrain, with title fights and huge bouts announced.[140] At BRAVE CF 63, Brad Katona successfully defended his Bantamweight world title against Gamzat Magomedov while Marcin Bandel shocked Ismail Naurdiev to become the new Super Welterweight world champion.[141]

At BRAVE CF 64, Roman Bogatov put on a dogged performance to capture the then-vacant Featherweight world title against Tae Kyun Kim, while Israel Mano made history, transforming Burkina Faso in the 80th nation to be represented inside the BRAVE CF arena.[142]

BRAVE CF 65 wapped up October in style with Hamza Kooheji headlining the event and beating Eduardo Mora from Colombia in the main event.[143]

Indonesia, Bahrain, and Germany

[edit]

BRAVE CF 66 marked the organization's return to Indonesia after over four years. The event, held in Bali, was headlined by Chad Hanekom landing a KO of the year against In Jae La, a moment that went viral on social media.[144]

BRAVE CF returned to Bahrain for BRAVE CF 67, with Eldar Eldarov headlining a Super Welterweight, non-title bout, and beating Denis Maher, before the promotion closed out 2022 with its second trip to Germany.[145]

This time at Düsseldorf, BRAVE CF 68 hosted Joilton Lutterbach vs Mihail Cotruta as the main event in an interim Super Lightweight title bout – Joilton won by first-round KO but was ineligible to win the belt due to not making weight the day before.[146]

Roster

[edit]

Rules

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation follows the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts that were originally established by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board and modified by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.[147]

After the Association of Boxing Commissions approved the opening of new weight classes,[148] BRAVE announced it would become the first international promotion to introduce a Super Lightweight division, as well as pushing the Welterweight limit to 175 lbs.[149]

Weight divisions and champions

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation has following weight classes:

Weight class name Upper limit Current champion Date won Title Defenses
in pounds (lb) in kilograms (kg)
Flyweight 125 56.7 Vacant - -
Bantamweight 135 61.2 South Africa Nkosi Ndebele December 15, 2023 1
Featherweight 145 65.8 Kyrgyzstan Nemat Abdrashitov June 23, 2023 0
Lightweight 155 70.3 Kyrgyzstan Abdisalam Kubanychbek December 5, 2023 2
Super Lightweight 165 74.8 Bahrain Eldar Eldarov April 19, 2019 1
Super Welterweight[a] 175 79.4 Russia Kamal Magomedov December 5, 2023 0
Middleweight 185 83.9 Vacant
Light Heavyweight 205 93.0 Bosnia and Herzegovina Erko Jun September 28, 2024 0
Heavyweight 265 120.0 Lithuania Pavel Dailidko September 28, 2024 0

Championship history

[edit]

Heavyweight Championship

[edit]
206 to 265 lbs (93.4 to 120.2 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 Lithuania Pavel Dailidko
def. Patryk Dubiela
Brave CF 88
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Sep 28, 2024 87 days
(incumbent)

Light Heavyweight Championship

[edit]
186 to 205 lbs (84.3 to 93 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 Brazil Klidson Abreu
def. Timo Feucht
Brave CF 8
Curitiba, Brazil
Aug 12, 2017 327 days

1. def. Matt Baker at Brave CF 11 on April 13, 2018

Abreu vacated his title and parted ways with BRAVE CF on July 5, 2018[150]
2 Algeria Mohammed Said Maalem
def. Mohammad Fakhreddine
Brave CF 52
Milan, Italy
Aug 1, 2021 14 days
Said Maalem was stripped of the title on August 15, 2021, when his bout with Fakhreddine was overturned to a no contest due to illegal blows to the back of the head.
3 Lebanon Mohammad Fakhreddine
def. Mohammed Said Maalem
Brave CF 57
Isa Town, Bahrain
Mar 11, 2022 105 days
Fakhreddine vacated the title on June 24, 2022, when he left the promotion.
4 Bosnia and Herzegovina Erko Jun
def. Alexander Wesner
Brave CF 88
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Sep 28, 2024 87 days
(incumbent)

Middleweight Championship

[edit]
176 to 185 lbs (79.8 to 83.9 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 Brazil Daniel Pereira
def. Chad Hanekom
Brave CF 31
Durban, South Africa
Dec 7, 2019 285 days
2 Lebanon Mohammad Fakhreddine Brave CF 41
Riffa, Bahrain
Sep 17, 2020 645 days
Fakhreddine vacated the title on June 24, 2022, when he left the promotion.

Welterweight Championship

[edit]
166 to 175 lbs (75.3 kg to 79.4 kg)
In 2019 Brave CF revised this weight limit from 170 lb (77.1 kg) to its current limits.
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 Guyana Carlston Harris
def. Carl Booth
Brave CF 8
Curitiba, Brazil
Aug 12, 2017 405 days
2 Jordan Jarrah Al-Silawi Brave CF 16
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sep 21, 2018 210 days
3 France Abdoul Abdouraguimov Brave CF 23
Amman, Jordan
Apr 19, 2019 168 days
4 Jordan Jarrah Al-Silawi (2) Brave CF 27
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Oct 4, 2019 706 days

1. def. Ismail Naurdiev at Brave CF 50 on Apr 1, 2021

Al-Silawi vacated his title after signing with PFL
5 Poland Marcin Bandel
def. Ismail Naurdiev
Brave CF 63
Isa Town, Bahrain
Oct 19, 2022 422 days
6 Russia Kamal Magomedov Brave CF 77
Isa Town, Bahrain
Dec 5, 2023 385 days
(incumbent)
7 Brazil Luiz Cado Brave CF 89
Tenerife, Spain
Oct 19, 2024 66 days
(incumbent)

Super Lightweight Championship

[edit]
156 to 165 lbs (70.8 kg to 74.9 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 Bahrain Eldar Eldarov
def. Mounir Lazzez
Brave CF 23
Amman, Jordan
Apr 19, 2019 2076 days
(incumbent)

1. def. Leonardo Mafra at Brave CF 46 on Jan 16, 2021

Lightweight Championship

[edit]
146 to 155 lbs (66.2 to 70.3 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 Germany Ottman Azaitar
def. Alejandro Martinez
Brave CF 9
Isa Town, Bahrain
Nov 17, 2017 671 days
Azaitar was stripped of his title and released by BRAVE on September 19, 2018 for not defending the belt[151]
- Brazil Lucas Martins
def. Luan Santiago Carvalho for interim title
Brave CF 11
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Apr 13, 2018
2 Brazil Lucas Martins
promoted to undisputed champion
Sep 19, 2018 58 days
3 Jordan Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady Brave CF 18
Isa Town, Bahrain
Nov 16, 2018 154 days
4 Brazil Luan Santiago Carvalho Brave CF 23
Amman, Jordan
Apr 19, 2019 133 days
5 Brazil Cleiton Silva Brave CF 25
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Aug 30, 2019 433 days
6 France Amin Ayoub Brave CF 44
Riffa, Bahrain
Nov 5, 2020 324 days
7 Egypt Ahmed Amir Brave CF 54
Konin, Poland
Sep 25, 2021 472 days
Amir was stripped of his title on January 10, 2023 due to uncertainty regarding his competition status.[152]
Kyrgyzstan Abdisalam Kubanychbek
def. Olzhas Eskaraev for interim title
Brave CF 59
Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Jun 18, 2022
8 Kyrgyzstan Abdisalam Kubanychbek
def. Kamil Magomedov
Brave CF 69
Belgrade, Serbia
Feb 18, 2023 675 days
(incumbent)

1. def. Lucas Martins at Brave CF 77 on Dec 5, 2023 2. def. Raul Tutarauli at Brave CF 87 on Sep 22, 2024

Featherweight Championship

[edit]
136 to 145 lbs (61.7 to 65.8 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 France Elias Boudegzdame
def. Masio Fullen
Brave CF 4
Abu Dhabi, UAE
May 31, 2017 478 days

1. def. Jakub Kowalewicz at Brave CF 10 on Mar 2, 2018

2 United States Bubba Jenkins Brave CF 16
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sep 21, 2018 532 days

1. def. Lucas Martins at Brave CF 24 on Jul 25, 2019

Bubba Jenkins vacated his title after signing with Professional Fighters League.
3 Russia Roman Bogatov
def. Kim Tae-kyun
Brave CF 64
Isa Town, Bahrain
Oct 22, 2022 244 days
4 Kyrgyzstan Nemat Abdrashitov Brave CF 72
Riffa, Bahrain
Jun 23, 2023 550 days
(incumbent)

Bantamweight Championship

[edit]
126 to 135 lbs (57.1 to 61.2 kg)
No. Name Event Date Reign
(total)
Defenses
1 Philippines Stephen Loman
def. Gurdarshan Mangat
Brave CF 9
Isa Town, Bahrain
Nov 17, 2017 1179 days

1. def. Frans Mlambo at Brave CF 13 on Jun 9, 2018
2. def. Felipe Efrain at Brave CF 18 on Nov 16, 2018
3. def. Elias Boudegzdame at Brave CF 22 on Mar 15, 2019
4. def. Louie Sanoudakis at Brave CF 30 on Nov 23, 2019

Loman vacated his title after signing with ONE Championship.[153]
2 Canada Brad Katona
def. Hamza Kooheji
Brave CF 57
Isa Town, Bahrain
Mar 11, 2022 359 days

1. def. Gamzat Magomedov at Brave CF 63 on Oct 19, 2022

Katona vacated the title, would make his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter 31.
3 United States Jose Torres
def. Nkosi Ndebele
Brave CF 73
Bogotá, Colombia
Aug 12, 2023 125 days
4 South Africa Nkosi Ndebele Brave CF 80
Isa Town, Bahrain
Dec 15, 2023 365 days

1. def. Jose Torres at Brave CF 82 on May 11, 2024

5 Zimbabwe Nicholas Hwende Brave CF 91
Isa Town, Bahrain
Dec 13, 2024 11 days
(incumbent)

Events

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation has held events in 19 countries during its three-plus years of operations. BRAVE has been to Bahrain, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Jordan, Indonesia, Northern Ireland, Morocco, Colombia, Pakistan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, England, Romania, Kyrgyzstan,[154] Slovenia,[155] and will make its Sweden debut soon.[156] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the promotion has announced that the upcoming three shows will be postponed until a later date.[157]

On July 20, BRAVE CF returned with BRAVE CF 35 taking place in Romania.[158] A week later, the organization hosted another show in Romania,[159] and then moved on to Sweden for four straight events.[160]

After BRAVE CF 40, the organization announced plans for three straight shows in Bahrain.[161]

Following the tremendous success of the Kombat Kingdom series, BRAVE CF announced two further shows in Bahrain. BRAVE CF 44 took place on November 5, while BRAVE CF 45, scheduled for the following week, was postponed to November 19, due to the passing of the Bahrain Prime Minister.[162] In early November, BRAVE CF announces its first show in Russia will take place in January 2021.[163] After a successful BRAVE CF 46, the organization announced a series of four events, culminating in BRAVE CF 50, on April 1.[164]

The expansion of BRAVE has been a wish of president Mohammed "The Hawk" Shahid, who claimed the idea behind going to different continents is to provide athletes with a truly global platform so they can showcase their talents, give opportunities to local fighters to shine in the international stage,[165] as well as show that BRAVE is "the fastest-growing promotion in the world" [166]

Scheduled events

[edit]
Event Date Venue Location
BRAVE CF 91 December 13, 2024 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain
BRAVE CF 92 December 15, 2024 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain

Past events

[edit]
# Event Date Venue Location
90 BRAVE CF 90 November 23, 2024 Mulitversum Schwechat Vienna, Austria
89 BRAVE CF 89 October 19, 2024 Pabellon Santiago Martin Tenerife, Spain
88 BRAVE CF 88 September 28,2024 Hala Tivoli Ljubljana, Slovenia
87 BRAVE CF 87 September 22,2024 Hoornse Vaart Alkmaar, Netherlands
86 BRAVE CF 86 August 24, 2024 Burgas Arena Burgas, Bulgaria
85 BRAVE CF 85 August 18, 2024 Captain Fasih Babar Amin Shaheed Sports Complex Lahore, Pakistan
84 BRAVE CF 84 August 9, 2024 Henan TV Television Studio Zhengzhou, China
83 BRAVE CF 83 May 25, 2024 Hoornse Vaart Alkmaar, Netherlands
82 BRAVE CF 82 May 11, 2024 Cote d'Or National Sports Complex Cote d'Or, Mauritius
81 BRAVE CF 81 April 20, 2024 Hala Tivoli Ljubljana, Slovenia
80 BRAVE CF 80 December 15, 2023 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain
79 BRAVE CF 79 December 8, 2023
78 BRAVE CF 78 December 7, 2023 Centro de Formação Olímpica Fortaleza, Brazil
77 BRAVE CF 77 December 5, 2023 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain
76 BRAVE CF 76 November 25, 2023 Balai Sarbini Jakarta, Indonesia
75 BRAVE CF 75 November 18, 2023 Pacho Camurria Arena Tenerife, Spain
74 BRAVE CF 74 September 7, 2023 H Arena Nantes, France
73 BRAVE CF 73: Pan-American Combat Week 2023 August 12, 2023 Coliseo El Salitre Bogota, Colombia
72 BRAVE CF 72 June 23, 2023 National Stadium Riffa, Bahrain
71 BRAVE CF 71 June 19, 2023 National Stadium Riffa, Bahrain
70 BRAVE CF 70 April 23, 2023 Hala Tivoli Ljubljana, Slovenia
69 BRAVE CF 69 February 18, 2023 Stark Arena Belgrade, Serbia
68 BRAVE CF 68 December 17, 2022 Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf, Germany
67 BRAVE CF 67 December 12, 2022 Hall B Riffa, Bahrain
66 BRAVE CF 66 November 26, 2022 Politeknik Pariwisata Bali, Indonesia
65 BRAVE CF 65: Rumble in the Kingdom October 28, 2022 Khalifa Sports City Stadium Isa Town, Bahrain
64 BRAVE CF 64: African All Star October 22, 2022
63 BRAVE CF 63: Two Title Fights October 19, 2022
62 BRAVE CF 62 September 30, 2022 Baluan Sholak Sports Palace Almaty, Kazakhstan
61 BRAVE CF 61 August 6, 2022 Maritim Hotel Bonn, Germany
60 BRAVE CF 60 July 30, 2022 National Stadium Isa Town, Bahrain
59 BRAVE CF 59 June 18, 2022 Amphitheater Bukhara Bukhara, Uzbekistan
58 BRAVE CF 58 April 30, 2022 Samsan World Gymnasium Incheon, South Korea
57 BRAVE CF 57 March 11, 2022 Khalifa Sports City Stadium Isa Town, Bahrain
56 BRAVE CF 56 December 18, 2021 BEL Expo Center Belgrade, Serbia
55 BRAVE CF 55 November 6, 2021 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
54 BRAVE CF 54 September 24, 2021 Konin, Poland
53 BRAVE CF 53 August 21, 2021 Almaty, Kazakhstan
52 BRAVE CF 52: Bad Blood August 1, 2021 Milan, Italy
51 BRAVE CF 51: The Future Is Here June 4, 2021 Falcon Club Minsk, Belarus
50 BRAVE CF 50 April 1, 2021 Arad Fort Arad, Bahrain
49 BRAVE CF 49: Super Fights March 25, 2021
48 BRAVE CF 48: Arabian Night March 18, 2021
47 BRAVE CF 47: Asian Domination March 11, 2021
46 BRAVE CF 46 January 16, 2021 WOW Arena Sochi, Russia
45 BRAVE CF 45 November 19, 2020 National Stadium Riffa, Bahrain
44 BRAVE CF 44 November 5, 2020
43 BRAVE CF 43 October 1, 2020
42 BRAVE CF 42 September 24, 2020
41 BRAVE CF 41 September 17, 2020
40 BRAVE CF 40 August 24, 2020 Stockholm, Sweden
39 BRAVE CF 39 August 15, 2020
38 BRAVE CF 38 August 8, 2020
37 BRAVE CF 37 August 1, 2020
36 BRAVE CF 36 July 27, 2020 Berăria H Bucharest, Romania
35 BRAVE CF 35 July 20, 2020
34 BRAVE CF 34 January 19, 2020 Hala Tivoli Ljubljana, Slovenia
33 BRAVE CF 33: Aliskerov vs. Gonzalez December 27, 2019 Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
32 BRAVE CF 32: Booth vs. Hassan December 14, 2019 Sport Palace Kozhomkul Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
31 BRAVE CF 31: Hanekom vs. Gaucho December 7, 2019 Sibaya Casino Durban, South Africa
30 BRAVE CF 30: Loman vs. Sanoudakis November 23, 2019 Gachibowli Indoor Arena Hyderabad, India
29 BRAVE CF 29 November 15, 2019 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain
28 BRAVE CF 28: Brewin vs. Gierzsewski November 4, 2019 Beraria H Bucharest, Romania
27 BRAVE CF 27: Abdoul vs. Jarrah 2 October 4, 2019 Mubadala Arena Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
26 BRAVE CF 26: Silva vs. Roa September 7, 2019 Coliseo Hernán Jaramillo Bogota, Colombia
25 BRAVE CF 25: Santiago vs. Silva August 30, 2019 Arena Minas Tennis Club Belo Horizonte, Brazil
24 BRAVE CF 24: London July 25, 2019 Copper Box Arena London, England, U.K.
23 BRAVE CF 23: Pride and Honor April 19, 2019 Martyr Rashid Al-Ziyoud Hall Amman, Jordan
22 BRAVE CF 22: Storm of Warriors March 15, 2019 SM Mall of Asia Arena Pasay, Philippines
21 BRAVE CF 21: Saudi Arabia December 28, 2018 King Abdullah Sports City Indoor Sports Hall Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
20 MTV BRAVE 20 December 22, 2018 Gachibowli Indoor Stadium Hyderabad, India
19 BRAVE CF 19: Africa Combat Week 2018 December 8, 2018 Super Bowl at Sun City Resort Sun City, South Africa
18 BRAVE CF 18: International Combat Week 2018 November 16, 2018 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain
17 BRAVE CF 17: Pakistan October 27, 2018 Nishtar Park Sports Concert Lahore, Pakistan
16 BRAVE CF 16: Abu Dhabi September 21, 2018 Mubadala Arena Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
15 BRAVE CF 15: Colombia September 7, 2018 Coliseo Bicentenario Bucaramanga, Colombia
14 BRAVE CF 14: Morocco August 18, 2018 Omnisports Indoor Club of Tangier Tangier, Morocco
13 BRAVE CF 13: European Evolution June 9, 2018 SSE Arena Belfast, Northern Ireland, U.K.
12 BRAVE CF 12: KHK Legacy May 11, 2018 Balai Sarbini Jakarta, Indonesia
11 BRAVE CF 11: Mineiro vs. Santiago April 13, 2018 Mineirão Belo Horizonte, Brazil
10 BRAVE CF 10: The Kingdom Rises March 2, 2018 Prince Hamzah Sporting Hall Amman, Jordan
9 BRAVE CF 9: The Kingdom of Champions November 17, 2017 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain
8 BRAVE CF 8: The Rise of Champions August 12, 2017 Tarumã, Curitiba, Brazil
7 BRAVE CF 7: Untamed July 29, 2017 Plaza de Toros, Caliente Casino Tijuana, Mexico
6 Brave 6: Kazakhstan April 29, 2017 Almaty Arena Almaty, Kazakhstan
5 Brave 5: Go For Glory April 23, 2017 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium Mumbai, India
4 Brave 4: Unstoppable March 31, 2017 IPIC Arena Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
3 Brave 3: Battle In Brazil March 18, 2017 Max Rosenmann Arena Curitiba, Brazil
2 Brave 2: Dynasty December 2, 2016 Khalifa Sports City Arena Isa Town, Bahrain
1 Brave 1: The Beginning September 23, 2016

BRAVE Combat Federation records

[edit]
Record Fighter Number
Most Bouts Lebanon Mohammad Fakhreddine
Jordan Jarrah Al-Silawi
11
Most Wins Jordan Jarrah Al-Silawi 10
Most Total Fight Time Bahrain Hamza Kooheji 144m17s
Most Knockouts Lebanon Mohammad Fakhreddine 6
Fastest Knockout Bahrain Ramazan Gitinov[167] 0:08
Most Submissions France Elias Boudegzdame 4
Fastest Submission Uzbekistan Mashrabjon Ruziboev 0:18

[168]

Broadcast

[edit]

TV partners

[edit]

BRAVE TV

[edit]

BRAVE Combat Federation announced last year the creation of BRAVE TV, an online subscription service in which fans would be able to watch live events, as well as reruns of old shows. BRAVE 23 was available on the newly formed online streaming platform to fans from all over the world, except for those territories contemplated with preexisting TV deals.[174]

Talents

[edit]

Film production

[edit]

SMILE - Documentary

[edit]
Poster of SMILE

BRAVE Combat Federation has announced initiation of operations of their subsidiary film production unit named BRAVE Films. To commence operations the film production unit produced the television documentary-drama "SMILE"[182] on 26 June during Eid.[183] The documentary narrates the story of the featherweight champion of BRAVE Combat Federation and behind the scenes of his training leading to the championship bout. The content was shot extensively in Montpellier, France and Tijuana, Mexico apart from locations in Bahrain and in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The initiative was publicised to popularise mixed martial arts and to showcase the lifestyle of fighters[184] and marks the launch of "BRAVE Films", a film production segment by BRAVE Combat Federation.[185]

BRAVE International Combat Week

[edit]

In February 2017, KHK MMA and IMMAF announced, during a press conference, a partnership which would see the Amateur World Championships move from Las Vegas to Bahrain for the first time.[186]

IMMAF president Kerrith Brown was present at the official announcement, in which Bahrain MMA Association president Khalid Abdulaziz Al Khayyat praised Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa's commitment to creating a culture for mixed martial arts in the region and claimed this shift as a deal closer for the world championships to move to Bahrain.[187]

In addition to the world championships, BRAVE president Mohammed "The Hawk" Shahid announced in the same press conference that the promotion would host a show in the same week as the World Championships, saying it would be "one of the biggest fight weeks we've seen in Middle East combat sports history", which was named International Combat Week[188]

2017

[edit]

Organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa,[189] the first International Combat Week was held from November 12 to November 19, with BRAVE 9 taking place on November 17, featuring two title fights.

2018

[edit]

In March 2018, IMMAF president Kerrith Brown officially announced the return of the Amateur World Championships to Bahrain for 2018 and 2019.[190]

The 2018 International Combat Week took place between November 11 and November 18, with BRAVE 18 taking place on November 16.[191]

BRAVE 18 crowned a new Lightweight champion in Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, and Stephen Loman retained his Bantamweight title by defending it against Brazil's Felipe Efrain.[192]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Brave CF refers to their 175 lb weight class as Welterweight, but per the Association of Boxing Commissions in the United States, 175 lbs is considered Super Welterweight.

References

[edit]
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