MMA – BRAVE Combat Federation marks its ninth anniversary this September, a milestone that highlights the meteoric rise of the Bahrain-born promotion from a bold vision to a global force in mixed martial arts (MMA).
It all began on September 23, 2016, when Supreme Council for Youth and Sport first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa – the founder and driving visionary behind BRAVE CF – unveiled the organisation with a stacked inaugural card, BRAVE CF 1: The Beginning.
The event featured future stars like Ahmed ‘The Butcher’ Amir, Eldar Eldarov, Hamza Kooheji, Mohammad ‘Sher-e-hind’ Farhad, and Stephen ‘The Sniper’ Loman.
The debut card lived up to its billing, producing fireworks as seven of the 10 bouts ended in spectacular finishes. It was an evening that signalled the dawn of something extraordinary.
“I still remember the electricity in the air during our very first event,” recalled BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid. “Nobody knew how big BRAVE CF would become, but we all felt we were part of something historic.”
That singular night in Isa Town sparked what would become a global phenomenon.
Today, BRAVE CF stands tall as the fastest-growing MMA organisation in the world – a promotion that has not only staged more than 100 events across 36 countries and five continents, but has also broken barriers with cross-promotional collaborations and an unmatched international scouting system.
Its platform has unearthed and nurtured some of the sport’s most recognisable names. Global icons such as Ilia ‘El Matador’ Topuria and Khamzat ‘Borz’ Chimaev trace their rise back to the BRAVE CF cage.
BRAVE CF also helped propel the careers of Loman, Jeremy ‘The Juggernaut’ Pacatiw, Benoit ‘God of War’ Saint-Denis, Bubba ‘Bad Man’ Jenkins, Jarrah ‘Jordanian Lion’ Al Silawi, and Amin ‘Fierceness’ Ayoub.
Simultaneously, BRAVE CF has cultivated a strong homegrown roster featuring stalwarts like Kooheji, Mohammad ‘The Latest’ Fakhreddine, Gerard ‘The Animal’ Burns, Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres, and rising star Muhammad ‘The Punisher’ Mokaev.
“Our scouting programme is second to none,” Shahid emphasised. “We’ve built a system that finds hidden gems from every corner of the world and gives them a stage to shine.
“No other organisation can say they’ve done that at the scale we have.”
The expansion has been breathtaking. In less than a decade, BRAVE CF has reached territories most promotions have never ventured into.
Before the close of 2025, the organisation will break into two new markets with BRAVE CF: Georgia vs the World in Tbilisi on October 3, followed by BRAVE CF 99 in Vilnius, Lithuania, on October 18.
Equally important, BRAVE CF’s global broadcast footprint continues to grow. Its most recent partnership with beIN Sports has extended its reach into the US and Canada, amplifying its scope and introducing millions of new viewers to its brand of MMA.
“From Asia to Europe, from the Middle East to the Americas, BRAVE CF has become a truly global product,” Shahid said. “Our new broadcast partnerships show that the world is ready for BRAVE, and we’re only just beginning.”
This year is poised to culminate in a landmark celebration as BRAVE CF prepares for its centennial event – BRAVE 100, which will take place at Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town on November 7 – a fitting stage for the promotion’s most historic night yet.
Fittingly, the ninth year has been dubbed the ‘Year of the BRAVE’, a reflection of both its achievements and the foundation it continues to build for the future.
“None of this would be possible without the vision of His Highness Shaikh Khalid,” Shahid declared.
“He believed in creating a global platform for fighters when nobody else thought it was possible. As we enter our 10th year, I can promise you that this is just the beginning for BRAVE CF.”
With its 10th anniversary now on the horizon, BRAVE CF’s story is far from complete.
If the past nine years have proven anything, it’s that the organisation is more than just an MMA promotion – it is a movement, carrying the spirit of BRAVE to every corner of the globe.
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