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| The official banner for BRAVE CF's debut event in Milan, Italy on August 1, 2021 (Image Source: FightBook MMA/BRAVE Combat Federation) |
For nearly two decades, mixed martial arts (MMA) has grown and established itself from a niche sport to a pillar in the athletic Parthenon and one of the organizations outside North America responsible for elevating MMA into a mainstream sport is the Bahrain-based BRAVE Combat Federation. A brainchld of His Highness Shaikh Khalih bin Hamad Al Khalifa, BRAVE CF has spearheaded more than 50 live events since the staging of its inaugural card in 2016 and has visited 22 different countries across the globe including Russia, Sweden, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, UAE, United Kingdom, Mexico and the Philippines.
BRAVE CF may have firmly established its roots in the Persian Gulf, but one of its missions is to make the sport a part of society's daily fabric. In line with its strategy of building talents from the grassroots level, the promotion has signed more than 500 athletes from 70 nations across the globe. In addition, it took advantage of venturing into untapped markets such as India, Pakistan, Colombia, Romania, South Africa, Morocco and Jordan. Aside from enlisting established names in the world of MMA, BRAVE has also been pivotal in the formation of local and homegrown stars. Moreover, the federation partnered with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) to hold the World Championships in 2019, giving amateur competitors a global platform to strut their wares and showcase their prowess.
For 2021, Europe has been the center of BRAVE CF's attention, kicking off the event last January in Sochi, Russia followed by its maiden show in Minsk, Belarus last June 4th which catered eleven high-octane bouts that managed to feature six up-and-coming MMA fighters from the host country. Rukh Sport Management director Tatsiana Kukhareva said, “BRAVE CF has contributed so much to the reemergence of Belarus in MMA. Football, hockey, and basketball are the most popular sports in our country. But thanks to a promotion like BRAVE CF, the future of MMA in Belarus is secured." BRAVE continues to further widen its footprint across the continent as it is set to stage its debut event in Milan, Italy on August 1, 2021. Given its exponential growth and continuing aggressive expansion, BRAVE Combat Federation will surely continue to break barriers and make history towards the new age of mixed martial arts in the foreseeable future.
BRAVE CF President Mohammed Shahid expressed, “The vision of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa was clear to us from the first day one, which is to reform the MMA industry from an event business to a sports business and to give opportunities to fighters around the world, regardless of marketability, language, nationality, or region. Talent would be the only variable. We are witnessing his vision unfold today as we see the development of MMA all over Asia, Africa and South America. Now, it’s showing in Europe. We have the best scouting program in the world, there’s no doubt about it. 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 company is breaking records and making history towards the new age of MMA. It’s an absolute honor to be a small part of this global vision."
