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| Mohammed Said Maalem claimed victory in the main event of BRAVE CF 86 in Burgas, Bulgaria over local veteran Atanas Dzambajov via third-round technical knockout in front of a highly passionate crowd. (Image Source: ArabsMMA/BRAVE Combat Federation) |
BRAVE Combat Federation debuted in Bulgaria with BRAVE CF 86 held last August 24, 2024 which will go down into the history books as a game-changer for the MMA (mixed martial arts) industry in Bulgaria. It was evident from the attendance and the atmosphere inside the arena in Burgas that the MMA fans in Bulgaria were waiting for an event of this magnitude. The crowd in attendance showered the BRAVE CF heroes with affection on fight night and made sure that their energy was felt around the world. What stood out most during the event was the readiness of Bulgarian fighters to compete against world-class opponents. Six Bulgarian fighters fought in BRAVE CF 86 and all of them delivered memorable performances, showcasing the potential of Bulgarian MMA talent when given the right opportunities.
In the main event, Mohammed Said Maalem made a strong comeback from his loss at BRAVE CF 81 by stopping Bulgarian veteran Atanas Djambazov in the third round. The opening round saw a battle of strength as both fighters sought to establish dominance. By the second round, Djambazov began to show signs of fatigue but continued to defend against Said Maalem’s attacks. However, in the third round, Said Maalem capitalized on Djambazov’s exhaustion and secured a finish. Alex Lohoré earned his second consecutive first-round finish in BRAVE Combat Federation by stopping Bulgaria’s Jivko Stoimenov in the co-main event. Lohoré landed a powerful uppercut that dropped Stoimenov, then followed up with strikes until the referee intervened. Following his win, Lohoré expressed his interest in a Super Welterweight title shot and discussed the possibility of challenging Kamal Magomedov. The fight between Pavel Vladev and Christian Mach proved to be a crazy one. Vladev sought a quick finish but Mach’s grappling skills neutralized him. Later, Vladev nearly secured in a ground-and-pound stoppage at the end of the first round but failed to beat the clock. A similar pattern unfolded in the second round, but this time Vladev managed to secure a victory with ground and pound just seconds before the round ended, extending his winning streak to six. Vladev's pre-fight intensity and exciting fighting style that has replicated the energy of the crowd throughout the fight eventually made him an instant fan favorite.
Khamzat Maaev returned to the winning column with a first-round submission victory over Antonio Bushev. Maaev applied pressure from the start, allowing Bushev no opportunity to mount an offense before securing a triangle choke. This was Maaev’s fifth first-round finish in his professional MMA career, marking a strong comeback after his first professional loss at BRAVE CF 79. Six-time Amateur MMA champion Rusi Minev continued his professional career with a dominant performance, outclassing Christos Tsirimokos over three rounds with his grappling prowess. The victory of Minev handed Tsirimokos, who was previously undefeated, his first professional MMA loss. The catchweight bout between Gabriel Gilthon and Eduard Evdokimov was a classic grappler vs. striker matchup filled with high-energy action. A powerful liver kick followed by strikes in the third round gave Evdokimov the stoppage win. In the opening fight, Anton Yanchev delivered a dominant performance, securing a first-round submission victory to remain undefeated. This was the third consecutive win by stoppage for Yanchev who had a plenty of support from the crowd in attendance.
Although local fighters did face defeat, most of them showcased their heart and quality alongside their skills in the BRAVE CF stage with the Bulgarian fighters proving they could compete against top international MMA talent. Along with bringing high-quality MMA action to Bulgarian fans, BRAVE Combat Federation also introduced some of the best international talent to Bulgaria, providing a huge boost to the MMA ecosystem in the country. Since its inception, BRAVE Combat Federation has played a crucial role in bringing in a new era of MMA worldwide and BRAVE CF’s vision has made differences in the MMA ecosystems of 34 countries with Bulgaria being the latest to benefit. With BRAVE CF 86, BRAVE Combat Federation extended its world record as the most traveled MMA organization with Bulgaria becoming the 34th host nation. This event also extended BRAVE Combat Federation’s record as the most hosted MMA organization in Europe with Bulgaria as the 15th host country on the continent. BRAVE Combat Federation will head to the Netherlands for BRAVE CF 87, scheduled for September 22nd, followed by its return to Slovenia six days later, for BRAVE CF 88 featuring a double title headliner.
BRAVE CF 86 Results:
• Light Heavyweight: Said Maalem def. Atanas Djambazov via TKO (punches) – 3m15s – Round 3
• Super Welterweight: Alex Lohoré def. Jivko Stoimenov via KO (punches) – 4m03s – Round 1
• Lightweight: Pavel Vladev def. Christian Mach via TKO (strikes) – 4m50s – Round 2
• Super Lightweight: Khamzat Maaev def. Antonio Bushev via submission (triangle choke) – 1m50s – Round 1
• Lightweight: Rusi Minev def. Christos Tsirimokos via unanimous decision (3x 30-27)
• Catchweight 68kg: Eduard Evdokimov def. Gabriel Gilthon via TKO (Strikes) – 2m59s – Round 3
• Lightweight: Anton Yanchev def. Patryk Krzak via submission (rear-naked choke) – 2m47s – Round 1
