KEY POINTS

  • BRAVE CF has won four distinctions at the FightBook MMA Awards, including the Global Promotion of the Year
  • The promotion's ring announcer and commentators have also been recognized
  • BRAVE CF's first fight card for 2022 is set to happen on March 11

Things are looking up for BRAVE Combat Federation after the Bahrain-based outfit received four citations at the 7th annual FightBook MMA Awards for its performance as a promotion in the past year, including the Global Promotion of the Year for the fifth-straight time.

The organization was founded in 2016 by Shaikh Khaled bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the hopes of fostering the sport of mixed martial arts in the Middle East and European regions, which the company has done successfully this past year by holding a total of 11 live shows despite the global pandemic.

BRAVE CF’s 2021 saw multiple fighters rise to the top with the likes of Ahmed Amir finally winning the lightweight title and Eldar Eldarov’s stellar defense of the super lightweight championship by stopping Brazilian knockout artist Leonardo Mafra in the first round.

Moreover, other names such as Abdisalam Kubanychbek, Tae Kyun Kim, Velimurad Alkhasov, Sam Patterson and Ahmed Labban rose to prominence and potential title-contender status.

BRAVE CF 50 was also awarded as 2021’s Best Event of the Year, alongside UFC 268 and Legacy LFA 97, thanks to strong performances across the card headlined by Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi’s defense of the super welterweight title against Ismail Naurdiev.

The company’s fighters were not the only ones to earn awards, though.

Carlos Kremer, BRAVE CF’s longtime arena barker, won the award for Cage Announcer of the Year for the fifth consecutive year, while the promotion’s commentators Phil Campbell and Kirik Jenness claimed the MMA Commentators of the Year for the second year in a row.

BRAVE CF
BRAVE CF commentators Kirik Jenness (left) and Phil Campbell (right) were awarded as FightBook MMA's MMA Commentators of the Year. BRAVE CF

With a successful year in its back pocket, BRAVE CF is looking to continue its momentum heading into the new year with the announcement of BRAVE CF 57 and the MMA Super Cup–an all-amateur mixed martial arts tournament set for BRAVE International Combat Week from March 7 to March 12.

BRAVE CF 57 will be happening on March 11 at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town, Bahrain, headlined by Hamza Kooheji and Brad Katona’s fight for the now-vacant bantamweight title that was once held by Filipino standout Stephen Loman.

BRAVE CF
Bahrain-based MMA promotion BRAVE CF was awarded the Global Promotion of the Year for the fifth year in a row by FightBook MMA after having stellar events in 2021. BRAVE CF
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