BRAVE CF’s Inaugural Event In Belarus Leaves Indelible Milestone In MMA History

BRAVE Combat Federation was out in full strength this past Friday, June 4th at the promotion’s latest event—BRAVE CF 51: THE FUTURE IS HERE. 

It was an unforgettable evening of world-class mixed martial arts (MMA) at the state-of-the-art Falcon Club Arena in Minsk, Belarus, and several victors made some major statements inside the cage.

11 outstanding bouts, including a pivotal three-round super welterweight encounter, captivated the global audience from start to finish. The host country of Belarus has plenty to be proud of as three of its hometown heroes walked away with their hands raised in triumph.

Denis Maher kept his undefeated professional record intact by stopping previously-unbeaten standout Rinat Sagyntay of Kazakhstan in the opening salvo to extend his impressive winning streak to eight matches.

On the other hand, Vadim Kutsyi put the entire super welterweight division on notice by turning in a masterful performance against fellow debutant Daniyar “Doni” Abdibaev of Kyrgyzstan via unanimous decision.

Meanwhile, Vadim Rolich authored a highlight-reel knockout at the expense of Kurbonsho Jamolov, shutting the lights out on the Tajikistani stalwart courtesy of a spinning back-kick and follow-up punches with 25 seconds left on the clock in the final round.

Now that the final bell has rung, it’s time to ruminate on all that transpired and consider what it means moving forward for Belarus and BRAVE CF’s strategic expansion in Europe.

Belarus has bred some of the most exciting and fearless athletes in MMA history at the height of the nation’s emergence during the early 2000s. With the organization hosting its first live event on Belarusian soil last Friday, it brought back fond memories of the country’s peak in the all-encompassing sport.

In restoring the old glory of Belarus in MMA, Kutsyi believes that BRAVE CF 51: THE FUTURE IS HERE is a step in the right direction, especially with the stamp of approval that it gained from luminaries such as UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, Brazilian actor Caio Castro and football legend Alexander Hleb.

“The event last Friday garnered a significant reception from fans in my home country as well as the entirety of Europe. There were a lot of event posters around Minsk, and people were constantly talking about the fights that transpired,” he said. “It’s a good sign because even people who were not interested in MMA before are now watching.”

“We see this as a huge development, for the first time in years. This is an indicator that BRAVE CF has done a great job to put Belarus back in the MMA limelight. I think this is just the beginning, and I am excited for things to come,” Kutsyi continued.

Since its inception in 2011, BRAVE CF has taken the sport to greater heights, becoming the first MMA company to hold 51 shows in 22 different countries—seven of which are European nations such as Northern Ireland, England, Sweden, Russia, Slovenia, Romania and Belarus.

In line with its mission to unearth more talents in the continent, BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid guarantees the same commitment that the promotion exerted in terms of development when it held events in Belarus’ neighboring territories.

“We have visited so many countries throughout our journey to help facilitate a global ecosystem for MMA. Our goal, apart from national sports development, is also to bring a positive change to MMA that will see the best talent from each country becoming global stars with talent being the only variable,” the head honcho declared.

“We are confident that MMA in Belarus will have a big rise in popularity and development after this event,” Shahid added.