BRAVE combat week to be the largest in MENA

Manama : The 2017 Brave International Combat Week will be the biggest ever in the MENA region based on the number of participants as well as female athletes, said a top IMMAF official. 

During a press conference held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Bahrain, Kerrith Brown, the President of IMMAF, told reporters that the event to be held in Bahrain from November 12 to 19 will be the “biggest ever IMMAF World Championships hosted by any nation so far”. 

“So far 375 athletes from 45 nations are confirmed for the event,” Brown said adding that event will be televised live for the first time, in Bahrain. The event will be held in cooperation with Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation (BMMA), the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) and the Media Office of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

The press conference was held in the presence of Densign White, CEO IMMAF, Mohammed Darwish, Khalid Alkhayyat, President of BMMAF, Abdulrahman Sadiq Askar, Assistant Undersecretary of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, General Secretary of Bahrain Olympic Committee, Omar Abdulaziz Bukamal, Mohammed Shahid, CEO of KHK MMA and other invited guests and officials. 

Bahraini fighters who will combat in the championship include Hussain Makki, Ali Yaqub, Hamza Zerera, Abdulla Al-Fayiz, Hamad Mohammed, Abdulrahman Al-Saadoon, Mohammed Abbas, Nayif Fikri and Abdulrahman Isa.

Al-Khayat confirmed that 216 male fighters and 42 female fighters, representing 45 countries, will compete in the championship, in addition to 117 members of the administrative crews

A mascot for the championship  ‘Sakhar’ meaning ‘The Rock’ was also unveiled during the press conference. 

Densign White revealed that IMMAF is now working to include MMA within the Olympic games starting 2024.

Brave International Combat Week will feature ‘2017 IMMAF World Championship’ hosted under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and ‘Brave 9: The Kingdom of Champions’ held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Brave 9: The Kingdom of Champions will feature 32 athletes representing 21 nations making it the biggest fight card in the history of Middle East. Three championship titles will be featured in the premium fight card of Brave Combat Federation. 

Mohammed Shahid, CEO of KHK MMA confirmed that an entertaining schedule awaits the attendees of the International Combat Week. 

He underscored that the support of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al-Khalifa has contributed to the promotion of the sport and its development in Bahrain and the entire region.

IMMAF World Championship is the world’s most prestigious amateur Mixed Martial Arts tournament, and the year 2017 will exceptionally mark the first time the event is conducted outside Las Vegas, Nevada. Bahrain is also the first Asian or Arab country to host an IMMAF World Championship, and indeed the first country to host the event outside of the USA.