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Exclusive: Mohammad Fakhreddine Is Ready To ‘Put On A Show For Everybody’ At BRAVE CF 52

Mohammad Fakhreddine is ready for a change, to turn the page on his long-running feud with Algeria’s Mohamed Said Maalem and start a new chapter in his storied career. However, before that can happen, the Lebanese fighter needs to take care of business on March 11 at BRAVE CF 57 in Bahrain, where he and […]

Mohammad Fakhreddine is ready for a change, to turn the page on his long-running feud with Algeria’s Mohamed Said Maalem and start a new chapter in his storied career.

However, before that can happen, the Lebanese fighter needs to take care of business on March 11 at BRAVE CF 57 in Bahrain, where he and Said Maalem will face off for the vacant light heavyweight title. Fakhreddine is already the promotion’s middleweight king, and a win this week will see him become the first double champion in BRAVE’s history.

” I can’t wait for this fight to happen; I can’t wait to get it over and done with. I know maybe we’ll have to fight one more time, but for now, I just want to get this fight done and move on,” Fakhreddine said, speaking to LowkickMMA.

The year-long rivalry dates back to when Fakhreddine and Said Maalem initially met at BRAVE CF 50. There had been tension in the build-up, but it boiled over after illness forced Fakhreddine to withdraw from the contest the day of the fight. Although Fakhreddine acted on doctors’ advice, Maalem mocked his rival and claimed he would have fought if the roles had been reversed.

BRAVE CF’s matchmakers quickly rebooked the bout for BRAVE CF 52 in Italy. The two men then engaged in a heated war of words with their genuine disdain for one another, coupled with their explosive styles, leading to the contest being the most anticipated in BRAVE CF’s history.

The fight was a short, action-packed affair, with Said Maalem seemingly earning himself a first-round TKO win. However, after footage emerged of the Algerian landing repeated illegal blows to the back of Fakhreddine’s head, the Italian commission overturned the result to a no-contest.

“It should have been a DQ on the spot, but that didn’t happen, and I don’t want the belt with a DQ win. I want to win the belt when I beat his arse, that’s how I want to win the belt. ” Fakhreddine said.

After moving to Dubai from Lebanon, the 37-year-old has brought in sparring partners from his homeland and Kuwait to help prepare him for the rematch. After two false starts against Said Maalem, Fakhreddine has been training the house down in preparation for this bout.

” I’m bringing a different animal to the table this time. Physically, I’m 100 times better than the last fight, 100 times stronger as well. So last time he couldn’t handle my power, he couldn’t handle my strength. So this time, I know he won’t be able to for sure.”

A born competitor, it has been almost 18 months — ignoring the no-contest — since Fakhreddine has had a whole fight, and he is hungry to show fans what he has been working on inside the gym. The game plan against Said Maalem remains relatively unchanged, and like always, Fakhreddine will make sure that those watching get their money’s worth.

“‘I’m going to come in there, I’m going to walk forward, and I’m going to try to finish the fight. Nothing’s going to change; this is me.

“Everybody knows that I’ve come for a brawl. I might be technical. I’m good when I want to be technical. But I like to give my fans a good show, and I like to put on a show for everybody.”

Fakhreddine may be aiming to entertain BRAVE’s worldwide fan-base, but there is one group in particular that he wants to inspire and bring joy to; the Lebanese people. Lebanon is in the grip of a significant economic downturn, with 40 percent of the population thinking about emigrating, and Fakhreddine is well aware of the plight his compatriots are going through.

“People are struggling. A lot of people I know don’t even have food to eat, So they have to pretty much just hustle to get some food, and I feel sorry for the people going through this hard time. I feel them; I was there just recently, and I know how it is. It’s hard, and I feel really bad for the people that live there, ” he explains.

“It’s going to be a pleasure to put a smile on some of those people’s faces. I know people are going to be happy back home, whether they know me or not. I’m going to be representing each and every one of them. I’m going to raise that flag high on March 11; no matter what happens, I’m going to raise that flag high. I’m going to put a smile on a lot of people’s faces. I’m going to be giving hope to a lot of people as well.”

When Fakhreddine enters the cage this week, he will be fighting for more than personal glory or to simply defeat a bitter rival. He will be fighting for everyone in Lebanon who dreams of following their own path and building their own future.

Will you be watching Fakhreddine’s rematch with Said Maalem?

Team Mexico & Oceania To Compete At MMA Super Cup After Withdrawal of Ukraine & Russia

The inaugural MMA Super Cup starts next Wednesday March 9, with the eight-team knockout team tournament taking place during Brave International Combat Week. The original lineup included both Ukraine and Russia. However, due to the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine, neither country will attend; the Ukrainians will not be traveling due to the war, while IMMAF has barred […]

The inaugural MMA Super Cup starts next Wednesday March 9, with the eight-team knockout team tournament taking place during Brave International Combat Week.

The original lineup included both Ukraine and Russia. However, due to the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine, neither country will attend; the Ukrainians will not be traveling due to the war, while IMMAF has barred the Russian team in a show of support for the Ukrainian people.

In their place, Team Mexico and Team Oceania will step in. The Mexican team recently competed at the IMMAF 2021 World Championships in Abu Dhabi, where they picked up two medals and are currently knocking on the door of a top ten spot in the world rankings.

Team Oceania will be comprised of New Zealand and Australia fighters, with both nations sitting inside IMMAF’s top ten rankings at #5 and #6 respectively. MMA has undergone a surge in popularity in the region in recent years, and with several regional champions in the team, they could be one of the tournament’s surprise packages.

“We are grateful to federations FAMM, NZMMAF, and IMMAFA for agreeing to organize teams at short notice. All three nations have proved their credibility in IMMAF competitions, ” IMMAF President Kerrith Brown said.

“Both athletes and coaches are to be commended for rising to the challenge at extremely short notice, showing true fighter spirit. Teams Mexico and Oceania present red herrings in the tournament, which will keep everyone on their toes.”

Here is the updated draw for for the IMMAF World Super Cup. The quarter finals will be held March 9, the semi-finals on March 10 and the finals on March 12.

TEAM MEXICO

Men:

? Bantamweight (135lbs): Jorge Antonio Lopez Perez

? Featherweight (145lbs): Victor Gerardo Quintana Vazquez

? Lightweight (155lbs): Luis Enrique Gonzalez Martinez

? Welterweight (170lbs): Jorge Raul Zaragoza de la Cruz

? Middleweight (185lbs): Diego Torres Rangel

? Light Heavyweight (205lbs): Miguel Angel Serna Castro

? Heavyweight (265lbs): Daniel Flores Sartorius

Male substitutes: Anthony Ramirez Amado; Jaime Samuel Sierra Lara

Women:

Flyweight (125lbs): Violeta Mendoza Corral
Bantamweight women (135lbs): Andrea Gabriela Guzman Salazar

Coaches: Jesus Ubaldo Marroquin Rodriguez; Daniel Solorzano Fernandez

TEAM OCEANIA CHAMPIONS

Men:

? Bantamweight (135lbs): Coopar Smith (AUS)

? Featherweight (145lbs): Prashanth Guda (NZ)

? Lightweight (155lbs): Kasib Murdoch-McKeich (NZ)

? Welterweight (170lbs): Mitchell Kelly (NZ)

? Middleweight (185lbs): Jonas Grace (NZ)

? Light Heavyweight (205lbs): Auryn Parmley (AUS)

? Heavyweight (265lbs): Abraham Paku (AUS)

Male substitutes: Troy Fumo (AUS); Hayden Limebeer (AUS)

Women:

Flyweight (125lbs): TBC
Bantamweight women (135lbs): Alisha Burtt (NZ)

Team Coaches: Matt Toa (NZ); Ryan Dunstan (AUS)

Inaugural MMA Super Cup To Take Place At BRAVE International Combat Week

BRAVE CF has developed a reputation as one of the most dynamic MMA promotions currently on the scene. The Bahrain-based organization has staged events in 25 countries and has held 56 events since the company’s inception in 2016. In addition, the promotion’s impressive scouting program has seen the company introduce names such as Khamzat Chimaev […]

However, starting on March 8, BRAVE CF will go one step further in helping grow MMA when it hosts the inaugural Mixed Martial Arts Super Cup during BRAVE International Combat Week in the Kingdom of Bahrain. BRAVE CF will promote the tournament jointly with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation — which recently wrapped up its 2021 World Championships.

The concept is simple. Selected countries will send a team of nine fighters and three substitutes to compete in a knockout tournament. Each stage will consist of nine fights, and whichever country picks up the most victories moves on to the next stage. The bouts will consist of three, three-minute rounds. In the event of a draw, an extra round will take place.

The prizes on offer are substantial, especially when you consider the fact that few national amateur MMA federations get government funding. The winning federation will pocket US$100,000; the runners-up will collect US$75,000, with the third-place team receiving US$50,000.

The draw for the tournament took place last week at the Grand Wyndham Garden Manama in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The competing nations whose names went into the draw were Russia, Ukraine, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Ireland, and Tajikistan. In addition, two wildcard teams were also added into the mix, and they were a Balkan and an Arab team, made up of the top fighters from each region.

Russia and Bahrain will head into the tournament as the bookies’ favorites, and the mind games between the two camps have already started. Team Bahrain’s head coach, Eldar Eldarov, felt that his chief rivals had got an easier first-round matchup, as well as ending up on the side of the bracket, which on paper appears less difficult.

“Russia got an easy draw for MMA Super Cup, but the harder the way, the better the feeling will be when we get this cup,” said Eldar.

Russian head coach Gennady Pavlovich Kapshay appeared to agree.

“I can’t hide the fact that we were lucky with our rivals in the qualifying stage. In the other subgroup, three strong national teams of Bahrain, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan will meet at once.”

The creation of an MMA Super Cup offers fans the chance to support their country in a way that, up until now, they have not been able to do. Over time the tournament could become a must-see fixture for fight fans, as well as a launching pad for emerging talent.

Do you like the concept of an MMA Super Cup

Bagdat Zhubanysh Makes History At IMMAF World Championship

Kazakhstan’s Bagdat Zhubanysh has written himself into the history books on the final day of the 2021 IMMAF World Amateur MMA Championships, becoming the first fighter in IMMAF history to capture three world titles. The 25-year-old strawweight earned his record-breaking gold medal by overcoming Russia’s Farkhod Rakhmonaliev via unanimous decision ( 29-28,29-28 and 30-26 ) […]

The 25-year-old strawweight earned his record-breaking gold medal by overcoming Russia’s Farkhod Rakhmonaliev via unanimous decision ( 29-28,29-28 and 30-26 ) inside a raucous Jiu-Jitsu arena in Abu Dhabi.

Rakhmonaliev did not make it easy for the reigning champion, and the opening frame was a cagey affair with both men looking to avoid giving their opponent an opening. The second round saw Rakhmonaliev do some of his best work of the fight, with the Russian’s grappling looking particularly impressive as he took the fight to Zhubanysh.

In the final round, Zhubanysh showed his championship credentials as he dominated on the ground with a takedown in the last minute of the fight secured his victory.

The road to his third title was a winding one for Zhubanysh. Firstly the ongoing pandemic saw the 2020 World Championships canceled. Then, after a nearly two-year absence from the cage, he was set to return to action at the 2021 IMMAF European Championships before an injury forced his withdrawal from the event.

To make things even more frustrating for Zhubanysh, the 2021 World Championships, which were initially meant to be held last November in Kazakhstan, were shifted to Abu Dhabi after an increase in Covid-19 cases in the Central Asian nation. However, he refused to let outside forces distract him from the task at hand, and his win over Rakhmonaliev now puts him in a class all of his own.

Zhubanysh will likely make his way to the professional ranks, and it will be interesting to see what promotion he ends up fighting for. ONE Championship would seem a good fit, and there are plenty of exciting matchups to make if Zhubanysh signs with the Singapore-based promotion.

Bahrain’s Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa and Ramazan Gitinov were also in action on the final day, with both fighters successfully defending their titles. De Sousa defeated Norways’s Cecilie Bolander via unanimous decision to claim her second straight women’s featherweight world titles. At the same time, Gitinov captured his second welterweight world title with victory over Tajikistan’s Jovidon Mahmudov.

The week-long tournament saw over 400 fighters from more than 50 nations participating and demonstrated again the depth of talent that exists in the amateur scene. MMA is still a relatively young sport, but with events like the IMMAF World Championships taking place, it shows that the future of MMA is looking bright. Hopefully, it will not be long before the International Olympic Committee opens its doors and welcomes MMA into its fold.

IMMAF World Championships 2021 World Champions

Male Super Heavyweight: Shamsutdin Makhmudov (Russia)
Male Heavyweight: Magomed Shakhrudinov (Bahrain)
Male Light Heavyweight: Dzhamal Medzhidov (Russia)
Male Middleweight: Fergus Jenkins (New Zealand)
Male Welterweight: Ramazan Gitinov ( Bahrain)
Female Lightweight: Olga Lagodnaya (Kazakhstan)
Male Lightweight: Kurban Idrisov (Russia)
Female Featherweight: Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa ( Bahrain)
Male Featherweight: Bekzat Zhassiya ( Kazakhstan)
Female Bantamweight: Nina Nikolija Milosevic ( Sweeden)
Male Bantamweight: Shakhban Gapizov (Russia)
Female Flyweight: Beatriz Consuli Diniz ( Kazakhstan)
Male Flyweight: Bektur Zhenishbek Uulu ( Russia)
Female Strawweight: Aieza Ramos Bertolso (Bahrain)
Male Strawweight: Bagdat Zhubanysh (Kazakhstan)

2021 IMMAF Amateur MMA Award Winners

The 2021 IMMAF World Championships have been going down this week in Abu Dhabi, with over 400 of the world’s top amateur fighters competing for their chase to capture IMMAF gold. The organization will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year. Earlier this week, it held the 2021 IMMAF Amateur MMA Awards, with the black-tie event […]

The 2021 IMMAF World Championships have been going down this week in Abu Dhabi, with over 400 of the world’s top amateur fighters competing for their chase to capture IMMAF gold.

The organization will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year. Earlier this week, it held the 2021 IMMAF Amateur MMA Awards, with the black-tie event taking place inside the Millennium Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Twelve awards were handed out during the evening, with Team Bahrain doing particular well as it took out both the Best Male and Best Female Athlete trophies.

Ramazan Gitinov collected the Best Male Athlete title; the 24-year-old is an outstanding talent and is the reigning IMMAF welterweight world champion. Gitinov is set to take on Tajikistan’s Jovidon Mahmudov in the final today and is weighing up the possibility of turning professional once the World Championships wrap this week.

The Best Female award went to Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa. The Brazilian-born mixed martial artist who fights out of Bahrain is only 21 but has already captured both World & European titles.

The current women’s featherweight champion has looked impressive throughout the week, with her victory over New Zealand’s Michelle Montague in her semi-final bout attracting plenty of attention. She will face Norway’s Cecilie Bolander in the final and, like her teammate Gitinov, will also be favored to walk away with the gold medal.

Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov also had successful night, picking up both Newcomer of the Year and Best Junior Athlete of the Year award. Kazakhstan’s Ayan Tursyn claimed Performance of the Year following her epic knockout of Italy’s Martina Corradi at the 2021 European Championships.

Here is the full list of winners from the 2021 IMMAF Amateur Awards

Best Female Athlete: Sabrina Laurentina de Sousa (Bahrain)
Best Male Athlete: Ramazan Gitinov (Bahrain)
Best Junior Athlete of the Year: Otabek Rajabov (Tajikistan)
Best Newcomer of the Year: Otabek Rajabov (Tajikistan)
Best Performance: Ayan Tursyn (Kazakhstan)
Host Federation of the Year: RMMAU
Best on Social Media Award 2020: French Mixed Martial Arts Federation
Best National Federation for MMA Coaching: Polynesian Federation of Wrestling, Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Associated Disciplines (FPLAJDA)
IMMAF Anti-doping Award: Bulgarian Mixed Martial Arts Federation (BULMMAF)
Best Grading Scheme Award: Panhellenic MMA Federation
MyNextMatch Award: International Mixed Martial Arts Federation of Australia
Best IT team: MMA League of Ukraine
National Federation of the Year: Mixed Martial Arts Zambia
Regulatory Excellence and Contribution Award: Scott Manhardt and Manap Kabdiyev
President’s Award: Michele Verroken (Sporting Integrity) for her contribution to achieving World Anti-doping signatory status for IMMAF; Mohammad Al Hosani on behalf of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and MMA Federation for their hosting and rescuing of the 2021 IMMAF World Championships

For those wanting to follow the action head over to IMMAF TV to watch the world championships live and on demand.

IMMAF World Championships – Top Prospects

The 2021 IMMAF ( International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) World Championship begin this week (Jan 24-29), with the tournament taking place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The event was initially set to be held last November in Kazakhstan, but the rapid rise of Covid cases in the Central Asian nation […]

This week’s event will see athletes from over 30 different nations competing inside the IMMAF cage as they each strive for gold. Amateur MMA is still developing, but the competition grows more competitive each year. Former IMMAF bantamweight junior world champion Muhammad Mokaev will make his highly anticipated UFC debut on March 19 and he looks set to be the first of a new wave of IMMAF fighters making their way to the pro ranks.

Here are a few of the top prospects to watch out for when the World Championship kicks off.

Ramazan Gitnov

The 24-year-old Gitinov is the reigning welterweight world champion and a stablemate of Mokaev at KHK MMA. The Dagestan-born fighter who competes under the Bahrain flag is, as one would suspect, a skilled grappler. BRAVE CF Super Lightweight Champion Eldar Eldarov, who trains Gitinov, has been developing his young charge’s striking, and with each outing he seems to be improving. After Covid forced the cancellation of almost all IMMAF events in 2020, Gitinov finally returned to action at last year’s European Championships, where he won gold medal. He is ranked No.1 in the IMMAF pound-for-pound list, and it is hard to see anyone taking that spot off him in the near future.

Hazem Kayyali

The 21-year-old Jordanian has been training in martial arts since he was five years old, and his talent is backed with a sense of showmanship. At last year’s World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic, Kayali could be seen talking to his opponents and chatting with the camera on his way to claiming the middleweight gold. The BJJ-brown, who speaks four languages, will be looking to cement his status as a rising MMA prospect with a World Championship title.

Sabrina Laurentina De Sousa

De Sousa is the women’s reigning featherweight champion and fights out of Team Bahrain. Born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, De Sousa moved to Bahrain to train full-time as a mixed martial artist, and so far, the experience is paying off. The 21-year-old has a 7-0 record, and her team at KHK MMA firmly believes she will eventually be one of the top female fighters in the women’s professional ranks.

Look out for a possible matchup between De Sousa and New Zealand’s Michelle Montague. The New Zealand fighter is the current lightweight world champion but recently moved to featherweight. She and De Sousa fought in the semi-finals at the European Open, with De Sousa earning the victory. However, Montague was limited in what she could do after an injury to her leg in the opening round. A rematch between the two would be one of the most anticipated bouts of the tournament.

Bagdat Zhubanysh

The two-time strawweight world champion will be looking to make history this week by becoming the first fighter to capture three world titles. The Kazakhstan mixed martial artist has an 8-0 record and is equipped with an explosive stand-up game. The 25-year-old won the IMMAF 2020 Senior Male Athlete of the Year Award, and after this tournament, will look at moving to the professional ranks.

If you want to follow all the action this week just head over to IMMAF TV to watch the fights live and on replay.