%20speaks%20at%20the%20BICW%20Press%20Conference%202023%20(1).jpg "BRAVE CF President Mohammed Shahid At BICW 2023 Press Conference") |
| BRAVE Combat Federation President Mohammed Shahid (center) speaking to the press at the BRAVE International Combat Week 2023 Press Conference (Image Source: BRAVE Combat Federation) |
The Kingdom of Bahrain is set to witness the biggest combat sports festival in the world once again as BRAVE Combat Federation brings back its International Combat Week set to take over the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The official announcement of the festival was made in a special press conference held last November 9, 2023 with the presence of BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid and Bahrain MMA Federation president Mohammed Qamber. The BRAVE International Combat Week (BICW) will take place on December 5-16, 2023 and will feature three major BRAVE CF professional events (BRAVE 77, BRAVE 79, BRAVE 80) as well as the first Asian Championships in amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to take place in the Kingdom.
The third edition of the BICW in 2023 will put the finishing touches on a historic year for mixed martial arts in Bahrain and for BRAVE Combat Federation. The Bahraini organization became the most global MMA promotion in the world when it hosted an event in France, making it the 29th overall nation to host a BRAVE CF event. During the official press conference, Mr. Shahid celebrated the achievements of BRAVE CF in 2023 and announced major details for the BRAVE International Combat Week. "In 2023, BRAVE CF broke several records, maybe none more important than becoming the most global MMA organization. And to celebrate that, there’s nothing better than coming home and making more history. We will have three professional events for the first time and the Asian Championships with the International MMA Federation (IMMAF), Bahrain MMA Federation and Asian MMA Federation. We will have some of the best martial artists in the world together under one roof. This is the biggest edition of the biggest combat sports festival in the world and a testament to the work and vision of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa," said Mr. Shahid.
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| (Image Source: BRAVE Combat Federation) |
Mr. Qamber then spoke about the achievements of Bahrain within the field of MMA at both sporting and organizational levels, saying, "Bahrain is now the number one country in the world of MMA. We also have, within our ranks, the number one pound-for-pound amateur fighters in the world, in both male and female divisions. On an operational level, the Bahrain MMA Federation is now the official organizing team of all IMMAF competitions around the world, showcasing the leadership of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa on all levels of the sport." Mr. Shahid also announced some of the biggest fights that will take place during the organization’s return to Bahrain. "This is a very exciting time to be an MMA fan in Bahrain and in the Middle East. We will have three major world title championships on the line, some of the biggest stars in BRAVE CF coming to fight, the return of legend Jarrah Al-Silawi, Shorty Torres vs Nkosi Ndebele 2 at BRAVE CF 80, and with the likes of Ramazan Gitinov, Khamzat Maaev, Rasul Magomedov. Bahrain's finest will also be in action such as Mohammed Alsameea, Hussain Ayyad, and Abdulla Al-Yaqoob."
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| (Image Source: BRAVE Combat Federation) |
Kicking off the 2023 BRAVE International Combat Week will be BRAVE CF 77 on December 5th headlined by two world title fights with world champions Abdisalam Kubanychbek (Lightweight) and Marcin Bandel (Super Welterweight) defending their crowns against the top contenders in their respective divisions, Lucas Martins (Lightweight) and Kamal Magomedov (Super Welterweight). Shahid commented, "This edition of the BRAVE International Combat Week is super stacked and full of amazing stories and fights. So much so that we’ve decided to kick things off with a double title headliner. You’ll have our most feared champion in Abdisalam Kubanychbek defending his title against a Brazilian legend in Lucas Martins. There’s also a match-up of dreams to discover who is the best Super Welterweight in the entire world. Marcin Bandel is the champion, but now he has the greatest challenge of his career when he takes on the undefeated Kamal Magomedov. This is an epic way to start off what will be a historic week."
On the other hand, the headline bout for BRAVE CF 79 slated for December 8th features a high-stakes Middleweight clash between formidable fighters Tahar Hadbi and Ismail Naurdiev. This showdown could very well decide the future of the 185-pound division as both men come in to BRAVE CF 79 desperately in need of a win. "BRAVE CF 79 is honestly one of the craziest events we’ve put on out of the 80 fight cards we’ve done so far. The pure amount of talent is on another level. Everyone knows the history of Tahar Hadbi in BRAVE CF and we’re so glad to have him back and headlining this show against Ismail Naurdiev. I expect a treat for striking fans of MMA. And the deeper it goes, the card just gets crazier – Ramazan Gitinov, the best amateur fighter of all time; Rasul Magomedov, one of the few men who can say they beat the great Kyle Snyder in a Wrestling match and he’s also an amateur world champion," said Shahid who then continued with what might be one of his favorite fighters currently. Shahid added, "You want to know how crazy this card is? Just look at the first fight. The Cristiano Ronaldo of wushu sanda, the best of all time in the sport, is fighting in the opening bout. Mohsen Mohammedseifi is opening up BRAVE CF 79 and that tells you everything about how stacked this card is." BRAVE CF fans can also expect athletes from Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, Tajikistan, and Slovenia throughout this year's BICW, making it a series of truly international sporting events in the home of BRAVE Combat Federation.
