BRAVE CF 67 saw the handing over of the baton as the future stars of Arabian MMA shone in Seef, Bahrain, today when fighters from the MENA region put their hands up and proved their bravery on the most global MMA platform. BRAVE CF 67 kept fans on the edge of their seats as seven stoppages in eight fights was the order of the day.
The penultimate event on the 2022 BRAVE CF calendar bore witness to some master-class performances as warriors from Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt endeavored to take the first step toward MMA stardom and secure a lucrative BRAVE Combat Federation contract.
In the main event, BRAVE CF Super Lightweight champion Eldar Eldarov showcased his royal MMA lineage in a Super Welterweight bout when he stopped Belarus' Denis Maher in the first round. Eldarov opened the history books by becoming the first athlete to pull off a knee bar submission in BRAVE Combat Federation. Maher showcased beautiful Dutch kickboxing that almost paid dividends, however, the Super Lightweight champion was wise as he moved in and out, mixing in feints while landing strikes to irritate Mayer's timing and rhythm.
Just as Maher looked to recalibrate, Eldarov initiated a well-timed double-leg takedown which led to beautiful transitioning to the knee bar.
"I feel amazing. So many people came to support me, and I felt a huge responsibility on my shoulders. Thank you to my team, my family and especially to Shaikh Khaled, he’s the reason for all of our successes " said Eldarov in the post-fight interview.
In the co-main event of the evening, French Algerian Yannis Ghemmouri threw cold water on the myth that ‘leg kicks don't win fights’ when he stopped Russia’s Bair Shtepin in the second round of their Featherweight bout.
The first round was a uber tactical five minutes as both athletes exchanged kicks and mixed them up with feints as they tried to figure each other’s timing and reaction out. Ghemmouri was the more effective in terms of strikes landed, and he picked up the pace in the second round with superior angles, strikes, and overall strategy.
Ghemmouri’s low kicks and footwork eventually saw the beginning of the end for Shtepin, who seemed uncomfortable as he absorbed trunk-like blows on his shins. During the second round, Ghemmouri sensed blood and ramped up the pace with an overall attack mixing up his leg kicks and jabs to set up bigger punches that forced Shtepin to cave in, forcing the referee to call an end to the fight.
The high-profile fight between BRAVE CF’s first-ever Olympian, Mahmoud Sebie, and Tunisia's Wajdi Missaoui did not disappoint. Sebie proved why he is an elite grappler and wrestler when he took Missaoui down, passed his guard, and rammed through short and sharp elbow blows with explosive power, putting the Tunisian to sleep in the first round of their Super Lightweight bout.
In their 98-kilogram Catchweight bout, Egypt’s Osama ElSeady landed a front kick for the ages and put Mohamed Ali Sellam to sleep in the first round. It was one of the organization’s most devastating knockouts, as ElSeady made a statement in his first BRAVE CF outing.
BRAVE CF will now head to Germany for BRAVE CF 68 this coming weekend to wrap up a ground-breaking year for BRAVE Combat Federation. The BRAVE CF 68 show will take place in association with partners NFC (National Fighting Championship), with a hybrid card for all European fans to rejoice. For more information, visit www.bravecf.com.
BRAVE CF 67 Official Results
- Super Welterweight: Eldar Eldarov def. Denis Maher via submission (kneebar) - Round 1 - 4m53s
- Featherweight: Yannis Ghemmouri def. Bair Shtepin via TKO (leg kicks and punches) - Round 2 - 4m44s
- Super Lightweight: Mahmoud Sebie def. Wajdi Missaoui via KO - Round 1 - 1m28s
- Middleweight: Ahmed Sami def. Omar ElDafrawy via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-28)
- Featherweight: Abdelghani Saber def. Aymene Souane via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1 - 3m23s
- Catchweight 98kg: Osama ElSeady def. Mohamed Ali Sellam via KO - Round 1 - 54s
- Super Lightweight: Anthony Zeidan def. Ayman Galal via KO - Round 2 - 1m24s
- Lightweight: Mohsen Mohammedseifi def. Dhia Meguellati via TKO (due to strikes) - Round 1 - 2m47s