- George Chung
- Feb 14, 2024
- 3 min read
BRAVE Combat Federation is returning to the United Arab Emirates in 2024, for its first-ever event in Dubai and will continue to use its international reach to empower mixed martial arts in the MENA (Middle Eastern and North Africa) region.
From its first show in Bahrain, the organization has made it a mission to identify the best Arab talents and give them a truly global platform to shine and make their names internationally. Through the BRAVE CF platform, several Arab fighters became household names for MMA fans worldwide, showcasing the true warrior spirit of the athletes in the region.
Such is the case for Arab legends like Jarrah Al-Silawi, Mohammad Fakhreddine, Hamza Kooheji, Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, and many others, who have shone under the BRAVE CF banner, facing off against top international fighters around the globe, while also competing near their home fanbases.
It has allowed these fighters to achieve world championships and become leaders in their communities, teams, as well as examples for the next generation of Arab fighters, who use the amateur platform set out by BRAVE CF in association with the IMMAF to develop on a grassroots level.
BRAVE CF has also been able to bring the eyes of the world to the Middle East as a hot destination hub for combat sports, consistently delivering world-class events in the region, increasing fan interest, and creating a true sports economy for MMA in the region. A total of 32 shows have taken place in the Middle East, which shows BRAVE CF’s commitment to the expansion of the sport in the region across all levels.
The region has also witnessed some of the biggest moments in the organization’s history. At BRAVE CF 4, in Abu Dhabi, Featherweight submission artist Elias Boudegzdame became the first-ever BRAVE CF champion of the world by beating Masio Fullen in the promotion’s first title fight. Abu Dhabi would be the proving ground to several other world-class fighters – at BRAVE CF 16, Jarrah Al-Silawi earned the first of his two BRAVE CF championships; while Khamzat Chimaev fought for the last time under BRAVE CF at BRAVE CF 27.
Saudi Arabia has also featured big moments for BRAVE CF, including historic fights for Usman Nurmagomedov and Ikram Aliskerov, and the debuts of Mohammed Said Maalem, Abdullah Al-Qahtani and other Arab stars.
Jordan is one of the most important nations in BRAVE CF folklore, as arguably the best Arab fighter of all time, Jarrah Al-Silawi, hails from Amman, and it was where the promotion hosted perhaps one of the best shows in its history – BRAVE CF 23 had three world title fights and a fight card which delivered immensely. The names on the BRAVE CF 23 reads like a who’s who of the top athletes in MMA today: Jarrah Al-Silawi, Abdoul Abdouraguimov, Eldar Eldarov, Khamzat Chimaev, Ikram Aliskerov, Amir Albazi, Jose Torres were some of the top names fighting on the same night.
Last but not least, the Kingdom of Bahrain has also witnessed several legendary moments in BRAVE CF and MMA history, such as the inauguration of the BRAVE International Combat Week, which became the biggest combat sports festival on the planet, several world title fights, the crowning moment for BRAVE CF’s only double-weight world champion Mohammad Fakhreddine, as well as world titles for Stephen Loman, Ottman Azaitar, Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, Azamat Murzakanov, Amin Ayoub, Marcin Bandel, Roman Bogatov, Nemat Abdrashitov, Kamal Magomedov, and Nkosi Ndebele.
The doubleheader of Dubai and Bahrain to help end the year for BRAVE CF will continue to impact the region as the eyes of the world turn once again to Arab fighters and BRAVE CF's global platform ensures maximum reach for the upcoming superstars of the sport in the Arab, and soon, the world.
