ROLANDO DY BATTLES SLOBODAN MAKSIMOVIC IN BRAVE CF 56 MAIN EVENT

Seef District, Bahrain - 23 November 2021

After a groundbreaking year that saw BRAVE Combat Federation hold multiple live events in Europe and Asia, the Bahrain-based global promotion is gearing up for its final extravaganza of 2021.

The organization will make its first foray into Belgrade, Serbia on December 18 to hold BRAVE CF 56 at the state-of-the-art Belexpocentar, and the card is headlined by a pivotal lightweight encounter between Filipino superstar Rolando “The Incredible” Dy and hometown hero Slobodan Maksimovic.

Dy, the 30-year-old son of boxing legend and former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion Rolando Navarrete, has been a mixed martial artist since 2011 and is one of the most recognizable faces of the sport’s well-entrenched scene in the Philippines.

With more than 20 professional bouts on his résumé, Dy has the experience of a seasoned veteran and has seen it all inside the cage.

Always a crowd-pleaser, “The Incredible” utilizes his dynamic boxing background with an impeccable takedown defense to outclass his opponents. He’ll now get the chance to put on a show once more opposite Maksimovic.

In the other corner, Maksimovic has been in the MMA game for more than a decade and has a wealth of fight experience under various outfits on his curriculum vitae.

Ranked as the No. 5 lightweight in the Balkan Peninsula, Maksimovic possesses a beautiful combination of solid striking and grappling skills that has proven to be a potent formula for success as he has amassed a stellar 17-6-1 overall record.

Moreover, the 32-year-old Serbian is riding high on a two-fight winning streak and has won seven of his last eight outings since 2016.

Dy, the 2020 BRAVE CF Fighter of the Year awardee, desperately needs an impressive performance to maintain his status in the stacked 155-pound weight class. Meanwhile, Maksimovic is eager to keep rolling and make a big first impression on the world stage.

In partnership with MMA League of Serbia, BRAVE CF will be announcing more matches for its first trip to Belgrade in the coming days.

FILIPINO MMA STAR ROLANDO DY CALLS OUT ENGLISH BRAVE CF LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER

Seef District, Bahrain - 10 November 2021

Rolando “The Incredible” Dy has kept a relatively low profile over the past several months, but now, the Filipino mixed martial arts superstar is ready to return to action and has a certain lightweight contender in his sights.

 

The 30-year-old son of Filipino boxing legend Rolando Navarrete issued a challenge to English standout Sam “The Future” Patterson, who scored a rousing victory on the BRAVE CF 55 card in Rostov-on-Don, Russia last Saturday, November 6.

 

“Boss Mohammed Shahid (BRAVE CF President), if you plan on giving Sam the title shot next, you may want to consider giving him to me first. I don't panic in the exchanges. I don't panic while wrestling like [Kamil] Magomedov did,” Dy said.

 

Patterson overcame a tough start in his scheduled three-round bout against hometown favorite Kamil Magomedov by persevering through his opponent’s ground game before eventually picking up a come-from-behind win by way of submission in the second frame.

 

 

Dy, who was one of the many who tuned into the promotion’s second live event in Russia over the weekend, shared his thoughts on the aforementioned lightweight encounter.

 

“There were a few things I saw in the fight. One of which is Magomedov was afraid of getting punched in the face like most BJJ guys. He is a good kicker, but he panics for doubles in striking exchanges. That’s the reason he got choked. Magomedov is not a wrestler by default because he is a BJJ guy,” he explained.

 

“Second is that I find Sam very technical but very slow for a lightweight. If that’s their best, I know I can take any of them,” Dy added.

 

Patterson is no stranger to Dy as the standout from Walford, England called the latter out for a fight last year and took a swipe at him by labelling the Filipino a “journeyman” in one social media post.

 

Ironically, Dy once filled in for an injured Patterson to face New Zealand’s John Brewin at BRAVE CF 44 in November 2020, where “The Incredible” walked away with the unanimous decision win.

 

 

However, Dy veered off the collision course with Patterson after going through a grueling war versus Kyrgyz mauler Abdisalam “Omok” Kubanychbek in a losing effort at BRAVE CF 47: Asian Domination this past March.

 

Meanwhile, Patterson made a strong case to challenge reigning BRAVE CF Lightweight World Champion and arch-nemesis Ahmed “The Butcher” Amir by extending his win streak under the company’s banner to four courtesy of his most recent cage assignment.

 

Although Dy believes that Kubanychbek should be next in line for a World Title shot, the outspoken hard-hitter from Cavite, Philippines won’t pass up on a chance to duke it out with Patterson and overtake other contenders in the division.

 

“I fought the rightful contender, Abdisalam, who is not in the title picture now. I know I can take on Sam. Let me steal the title shot from him,” Dy stated. 

BRAVE CF PAYS TRIBUTE TO BOXING LEGEND MANNY PACQUIAO

Seef District, Bahrain - 01 October 2021

BRAVE Combat Federation, the fastest-growing mixed martial arts promotion in the world today with global presence in five continents, is paying tribute to Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao.

 

The 42-year-old southpaw from General Santos City, Philippines officially announced his retirement from the sport of boxing on Wednesday, September 29, which came on the heels of his decision to run for president in the 2022 Philippine national elections. 

 

Pacquiao walks away from the squared-circle with a professional record of 62-8-2 with 39 victories by way of knockout. 

 

He is the only pugilist in history to win multiple world titles in eight different weight classes and was long rated as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world by most sporting news outfits and boxing websites.

 

The Pinoy fistic sensation was hailed "Fighter of the Year" three times by both The Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA).

 

In addition, the BWAA body recognized Pacquiao with the "Fighter of the Decade" citation for the 2000s.

 

From his professional debut in 1995 as a minimum weight competitor, Pacquiao rose up the scales to claim outstanding wins over the who’s who of boxing, including Lehlo Ledwaba, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley and Timothy Bradley Jr.

 

 

Transitioning from boxing’s best-kept secret to a global sporting figure, Pacquiao’s shocking eighth-round stoppage of De La Hoya in December 2008 made him a crossover star and a media darling.

 

Many in the combat sports community praised the legendary boxer for his successful and incredible career, including BRAVE CF President Mohammed Shahid.

 

“Manny Pacquiao is a legend of combat sports, not just in the Philippines, but worldwide. He has proven that a young kid full of dreams, talent, and perseverance can overcome adversities and march towards world titles, glory, and legendary status,” Shahid said.

 

“He deserves all the best in this new chapter of his life. We, at BRAVE Combat Federation, are working hard to make sure that Pacquiao’s story is not an isolated incident in the sport anymore. Manny will serve as an inspiration to many, many future world-class athletes from all around the world and all walks of life.”

 

Meanwhile, Filipino lightweight contender Rolando “The Incredible” Dy expressed his gratitude to Pacquiao's contributions to combat sports.

 

“Happy retirement, my idol. Thank you for paving the way for all of us. You are a true icon of combat sports. I will forever be grateful for the inspiration you've given us,” Dy stated.

PFL, ONE Championship Out; BRAVE CF In For Best Promotion Nomination

Fighters Only Magazine, fondly referred to as the bible of mixed martial arts, recently announced the nominees for the 22 trophies up for grabs at its 13th Annual World MMA Awards.

BRAVE Combat Federation is nominated for two major citations at the prestigious yearly affair. The Bahrain-based promotion joins the Best Promotion of the Year category with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Bellator MMA, Legacy Fighting Alliance and UAE Warriors.

However, Professional Fighters League and ONE Championship didn’t make the list that was put together by the award-giving body’s panel of industry experts.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has challenged both organizations greatly in 2020. ONE Championship was able to resume its operations late last year, with most of its events taking place in Singapore.

Meanwhile, PFL made its return this past April for the 2021 regular season, setting up shop in a state-of-the-art bubble at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Like PFL and ONE Championship, BRAVE CF also had to cancel a couple of its scheduled events at the onset of the global health crisis. However, it managed to bounce back a few months later and held a successful series of shows in countries such as Slovenia, Romania, Sweden and its home base of Bahrain.

This year, BRAVE CF has extended its reach in Europe, hosting fight cards in Russia, Belarus and Italy. The promotion is slated to have another show in the region with its debut offering in Konin, Poland on September 25.

Apart from the company itself, BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid is likewise one of the five nominees for the Leading Man of the Year award alongside UFC boss Dana White, MMA manager Ed Soares, IMMAF chief Densign White and Bellator’s Scott Coker.

Voting for the 13th Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards is now underway at worldmmaawards.com. It will conclude on Wednesday, September 8th.

ONE Championship will air the pre-taped ONE: Battleground II on Friday, August 13. The card is headlined by UFC veteran Zhang Lipeng, squaring off with Filipino superstar Eduard Folayang.

On the same date, PFL will spearhead the live broadcast of its playoffs on ESPN, featuring the welterweight encounter between Rory MacDonald and Ray Cooper III.

On the other hand, BRAVE CF will return to Almaty, Kazakhstan on August 21st to hold BRAVE CF 53. Hometown hero Nurzhan Akishev is penciled to face South Korea’s Tae Kyun Kim in the main event.

BRAVE CF’S PROVEN EUROPEAN TRACK RECORD COULD IGNITE MMA BOOM IN ITALY

Seef District, Bahrain - 28 July 2021

History, arts, and food will forever be associated with the rich culture of Italy. But little did many living outside Europe know that sports in the country has a long tradition.

Like in most European nations, football is widely popular in Italy. The national team has won the FIFA World Cup on four different occasions, most recently in 2006.

Meanwhile, automobile racing comes in as a close second with many Italian engineers and drivers having contributed much to the said sport.

When it comes to combat sports, Italy has produced a handful of notable names such as fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti and professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino.

But as far as mixed martial arts (MMA) is concerned, it has not caught on yet. All that could change on August 1st as BRAVE Combat Federation makes its first venture on Italian soil.

The Bahrain-headquartered outfit is set to host BRAVE CF 52: Bad Blood in the beautiful city of Milan, featuring a Light Heavyweight World Championship clash between middleweight titleholder Mohammad “The Latest” Fakhreddine and Mohamed “L'Ambiance" Said Maalem.

It is a welcome development for The Golden Cage--a local MMA promotion that has been spearheading the sport's rise from obscurity in the country since 2017.

It has been an uphill climb for the Italian MMA scene. Despite churning out top-caliber competitors like Marvin Vettori, Alessio Sakara and Alessio Di Chirico, it still does little to prevent many talents from leaving home to find greener pastures as opportunities range from low to none.

Ardent to push MMA into greater heights in Italy, The Golden Cage found an ally in BRAVE CF, an organization that has held 51 shows in 22 different countries—seven of which are European nations such as Northern Ireland, England, Sweden, Russia, Slovenia, Romania and Belarus.

“We have visited so many countries throughout our journey to help facilitate a global ecosystem for MMA. Our goal, apart from national sports development, is also to bring a positive change to MMA that will see the best talent from each country becoming global stars with talent being the only variable,” BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid stated.

"There are plenty of European fighters who are yet to be given an opportunity and we look forward to showing the excellence of European fighters to the world," the head honcho added.

For 2021, Europe has been the center of BRAVE CF’s attention, kicking off the year with a stacked card in Sochi, Russia last January.

The company upped the ante last June 4 by staging its maiden show in Minsk, Belarus, catering 11 high-octane bouts that managed to feature six up-and-comers from the host nation.

On August 1, BRAVE CF will be breaking new ground, widening its footprint in the continent.

With the foothold that BRAVE CF has already established in Europe, Swiss standout Kevin Ruart feels that Italian MMA could benefit the most from the promotion's forthcoming foray in Milan, Italy.

"BRAVE CF has top-level fighters on their roster that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Aside from that, they offer world-class production. Look at the events they held in the past. The production value is second to none. Truly marvelous," Ruart said.

“Combining good cage action and world-class production, I think that's the brand of MMA the Italian people will have to watch and will turn them into fans of the sport. And BRAVE CF can offer that to them."

Italian fans are in for a treat as their very own Enrico “The Killing Machine” Cortese gets the spotlight in the co-headliner as he squares off with Russian grappling wizard Rustam Chsiev.

The rest of the explosive main card will likewise serve as a showcase for a host of the very best international talents in MMA.

Former BRAVE CF Featherweight World Champion Elias “Smile” Boudegzdame will make his much-awaited return as he is slated to face France’s Brice “Lion Kid” Picaud.

On the other hand, former BRAVE CF Welterweight World Champion Abdoul “Lazy King” Abdouraguimov looks to continue his ascent in his new division by locking horns with 2021 Knockout of the Year candidate Nursulton Ruziboev.

Chechnya-born Swiss standout Husein Kadimagomaev is scheduled to battle Agshin “Warrior” Babaev of Azerbaijan, while 2020 BRAVE CF Breakout Fighter of the Year awardee Mochamed “The Beast” Machaev takes on Gamzat Magomedov.

BRAVE CF BECOMES PROVING GROUNDS OF BURGEONING FRENCH MMA’S TOP STARS

Seef District, Bahrain - 26 May 2021

As a nation with over 67 million inhabitants, France is a major part of the European landscape, and when it comes to martial arts, it has always been held in the same esteem as its neighboring countries—Greece’s Pankration, Russia’s Sambo and Switzerland’s Schwingen—for the prominent self-defense known as Savate.

Now, there is a new breed of warriors looking to put France on the combat sports map once again, and they plan to do so by plying their trade in the world’s fastest-growing mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.

MMA is still relatively new to France after the legalization of the sport in January 2020, but it is developing quickly and there are plenty of outstanding homegrown talents climbing their way up the ranks in BRAVE Combat Federation.

Leading the pack is BRAVE CF Lightweight World Champion Amin “Fierceness” Ayoub, who holds a professional record of 16-4 with eight victories by way of submission and two via knockout.

Ayoub, who is currently riding high on an eight-bout winning streak, carved his name in the annals of MMA history at BRAVE CF 44 in November 2020 by dethroning Cleiton “Predador” Silva via an emphatic fourth-round stoppage.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ayoub is Benoit “God Of War” St. Denis, an undefeated super lightweight who owns an immaculate 7-0 standing with a 100 percent finishing rate.

St. Denis has been nothing short of spectacular since arriving in the Bahrain-based MMA outfit. In three of his last four outings, he authored a pair of submission wins and a total demolition of British veteran Mario “Rude Boy” Saeed within two rounds.

As St. Denis—a recipient of the BRAVE CF 2020 Submission of the Year award—moves closer to the upper echelon of the organization’s stacked 165-pound weight class, another Frenchman is making waves as part of the active roster.

Hailed by pundits as the No. 1 lightweight in Western Europe, Ylies Djiroun (18-6) made a triumphant promotional debut in the headliner of BRAVE CF 48: ARABIAN NIGHT this past March by submitting Russia’s Abdul-Rakhman Makhazhiev in the third round courtesy of a guillotine choke.

While it is a performance deserving of an ovation, Djiroun continues to marvel at the warm reception that he got as a newcomer.

“I’ve fought for many organizations. I’ve been here and there, but not once I was featured on a poster. But they (BRAVE CF) did that for me. In my first fight, my photo was on the poster. That means a lot to me. It’s important,” he said.

“I am happy to be with BRAVE CF. I want to be here for a long time,” Djiroun added. “I don’t know what the future holds, but if you’re going to ask me, I just want to stay here. They treat me well, and the people behind it are kind. I don’t see myself leaving BRAVE CF.”

Rounding up the elite cast are Ibrahim “Ibra Kumite” Mane (8-4), Abdoul “Lazy King” Abdouraguimov (12-1), Michael “The Soldier” Aljarouj (7-4) and Yanis “The Galactic” Ghemmouri (8-1).

According to company president Mohammed Shahid, the level of athletes within the roster is attributed largely to BRAVE CF’s scouting and connection building.

‘’We have the best scouting program in the world, there’s no doubt about it,” the head honcho shared. “That’s because we connect with MMA people around the world, we connect with the gyms, with their national federations, with everyone involved in the sport. That’s how you unearth the gems that we have.”

The signature French tri-color will be shining brightly on the undercard of the much-awaited BRAVE CF 51: THE FUTURE IS HERE, which takes place at the state-of-the-art Falcon Club Arena in Minsk, Belarus on June 4th.

Djiroun is penciled to duke it out with Englishman Sam “The Future'' Patterson, while Ghemmouri makes his maiden BRAVE CF appearance against hometown favorite and fellow debutant Vladislav Novitskiy in a three-round bantamweight contest.

With the foothold that BRAVE CF has already established in Europe, Djiroun truly believes that the balance of power in the continent has apparently started to favor the promotion.

“They are the only organization to hold events in Europe on this scale. No other promotion was able to do what BRAVE CF did in Europe. In my opinion, they’ve already taken control of Europe,” he declared.

POLISH KNOCKOUT ARTIST OWES BRAVE CF FOR OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE MMA DREAM

Seef District, Bahrain - 17 May 2021

All Polish power-hitter Maciej “Magic Man” Gierszewski ever wanted to do in the prime years of his existence was to become a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) athlete.

From the moment he had his first glimpse of the sport’s enthralling nature, Gierszewski fell in love so hard with MMA and vowed to be a competitor who would alway put fans at the edge of their seats.

Gierszewski did just that, building a reputation as a knockout artist from the amateur level to the pro ranks—shutting the lights out on opponents who dared to stand in front of him inside the cage.

Despite having a bright future and potential, Gierszewski contemplated the idea of bidding farewell to the sport in 2018 as it was no longer financially viable to support his family.

“I was already at the stage where I want to give up MMA,” he revealed. “Aside from doing MMA, I was working at a construction site. For years, I had to wake up at 4 am for training, and then I had to go to work after. Then after work, I had to train again in the gym. I got home very late.”

“My wife then told me, ‘Maciej, your family misses you. You are out everyday working and training. You are never home.’ Then I started to realize what she’s saying because I wasn’t getting regular fights nor earning good purses from it,” Gierszewsk continued.

As he was about to move on from his prizefighting career and hang up his four-ounce gloves for good, BRAVE Combat Federation gave him a call and offered him a short-notice bout in London against Irish standout Cian Cowley.

“I got a call from BRAVE CF. I don’t know what to expect at first. But I was in shape, so I took the fight. They sent me the contract, but it’s for one fight. Regardless, I was happy to get that offer,” Gierszewski recalled.

Gierszewski shined the brightest in his promotional debut at BRAVE CF 24 in July 2019, silencing the crowd at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as they were in awe of his one-punch knockout of Cowley in the second round.

His impressive performance against the Irishman paved the way for him to earn a lucrative multi-year contract under the banner of the Bahrain-based MMA organization.

“As soon as I got my contract, I left my day job. I focused 100 percent on MMA, training three times a day,” he shared. “I am finally in the spot where I wanted to be all my life.”

Looking back, Gierszewski stressed that BRAVE CF is the main reason why he gets to live out his childhood dream to this day.

“They gave me a second chance,” he said. “I am blessed they found me. I am a happy man. I can get to do what I love to do.”

In his first assignment this year, Gierszewski made quite an impression yet again by stopping Brazilian veteran Felipe Silva in the first round at historic BRAVE CF 50 last April.

The promotion has already lined up a follow-up to that monumental card as BRAVE CF 51: The Future Is Here is set to take place at the state-of-the-art Falcon Club Arena in Minsk, Belarus on June 4th.

Belarus will be the seventh European country that BRAVE CF has visited since spearheading a strategic expansion in the continent in 2018.

With the records that BRAVE CF has broken over the past few years, Gierszewski believes the balance of power in European MMA starts to favor the company that gave him a new lease on life.

“It looks like BRAVE CF is taking over Europe. They have been to many countries in Europe. For a promotion, that’s unheard of. Nobody does that, and nobody has done that before,” he stated. “They have only been in the market for over four years, and look at what they have done for the sport. Truly amazing!”

JENEL LAUSA NOW SEES THINGS CLEARLY AS HE PINS WHOLE FOCUS ON MMA

Seef District, Bahrain - 28 April 2021

Knowing that he has to get his priorities straight, Filipino hard-hitter Jenel “The Demolition Man” Lausa has made an important career move to hang up his pair of eight-ounce boxing gloves in favor of a total commitment to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Though the 32-year-old Concepcion, Iloilo native admitted that it was a “tough” decision to call, he believes that focusing entirely on MMA will benefit him in the long run—especially that he signed a multi-bout deal with BRAVE Combat Federation this past February.

“I equally love boxing and MMA. It’s tough, to be honest. But I know this decision will be beneficial career-wise. It’s a matter of determining the real priority, and my priority right now is MMA and to perform to the best of my ability as part of BRAVE CF,” Lausa said.

“I have to think long-term. Here in MMA, I can have a regular fix of fights. Boxing events in the Philippines have been hampered by the pandemic. I feel so blessed that BRAVE CF opened the door to welcome me back to MMA and resume my career. That alone is already an indication that I have to prioritize MMA,” he added.

Lausa began his boxing stint in 2014, three years after turning professional in MMA. He has gone undefeated as a pugilist, winning six of his ten bouts by knockout as well as capturing local and regional titles in two different weight classes.

As he started to move up the ranks, “The Demolition Man” had his sights fixed on the rare feat of becoming the first Filipino to ever win a world championship in both MMA and boxing.

Lausa seemed to be unperturbed by the fact that competing in two totally different disciplines could shoulder a heavy burden. But after bowing to Kyrgyz prospect Ryskulbek Ibraimov via unanimous decision in his first promotional appearance at BRAVE CF 47: ASIAN DOMINATION last March, it compelled him to revisit and weigh in on his aspirations.

“My list of goals at the moment consists of what I want to achieve through BRAVE CF, not as a boxer. Not winning my debut is hard to swallow, but it came with a realization that I have to reorganize my goals and priorities,” he stated.

“The loss turned out to be a blessing, not just a lesson. Now, I am living as a true and dedicated Filipino MMA fighter. Here in MMA, you have to think as a mixed martial artist day in and day out. Today, I can say that I see things clear as day,” he continued.

Despite the strict COVID-19 restrictions imposed on the country’s capital, Lausa has found a way to train, working out at XCON Tiger City Gym in Mandaluyong to keep him battle-ready for his next assignment in the Bahrain-based MMA organization.

Now sporting a much clearer vision as to what he wants to accomplish, Lausa cannot wait to get back into action.

“I am ready to fight. Belarus or Bahrain again, I can fight anywhere. I really don’t mind where,” he expressed. “My phone lines are open 24 hours, seven days a week. They can give me a call because I will surely answer.”