Words Fly as Fighters Set Stage for BRAVE CF’s Bahrain Blockbusters

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Excitement filled The Avenues Bahrain yesterday as fighters from BRAVE CF 100 and BRAVE CF 101 took to the stage to face media and fans in a lively press conference. The gathering set the tone for what promises to be a memorable weekend of mixed martial arts in the Kingdom.

Last night’s session featured a stacked lineup of athletes, including Bahrain’s own Hamza Kooheji, Muhammad Mokaev, Rami Hamed, Borislav Nikolic, Gerard Burns, Alex Lohore, Bahrain’s Mohamed Alsamea, and Mimi Grubb. Bringing together stars from across the globe, the panel highlighted BRAVE CF’s expanding international reach while celebrating its deep connection to Bahrain.

Local hero Hamza Kooheji received the loudest cheers as fans packed the venue to support his title bid at BRAVE 100 tomorrow night. Several in attendance even called out for him to “break Nikolic’s face,” a testament to the passionate support rallying behind Bahrain’s hometown champion.

Attention then turned to Muhammad “The Punisher” Mokaev, who faces Gerard “The Animal” Burns for the inaugural Flyweight World Title. Speaking to TDT, Mokaev reflected on his long connection with Bahrain and the energy surrounding his return. “This is my fifteenth or sixteenth MMA fight in Bahrain,” he said. “I always feel welcomed here. The atmosphere, the fans, it’s amazing. Bahrain really feels like home.” When asked about Burns’ now-famous mid-fight callout earlier this year, Mokaev added, “To be honest, he should have focused on finishing that fight instead of calling me out. I’m not worried about talk, I’m focused on breaking records.”

Burns described the title opportunity as the culmination of years of preparation. “From my amateur days, I always wanted to be part of BRAVE,” he said. “I visualised fighting Mokaev for the world title, and now it’s happening. This is exactly how it was meant to be.”

Adding to the drama, Lebanese fan-favourite Mohammad Fakhreddine, who could not attend in person, called in to speak with his opponent Alex Lohore, keeping their rivalry alive ahead of their Interim Super Welterweight World Title fight and drawing laughter from the crowd.

Kooheji headlines BRAVE 100 at Khalifa Sports City Arena, challenging Serbia’s Borislav Nikolic for the Bantamweight World Championship as part of a historic triple-header of title fights. Sunday’s BRAVE CF 101, also at Khalifa Sports City, will feature two explosive matchups: Magomed Idrisov vs. Marciano Ferreira in the main event, and Bahrain’s Ramazan Gitinov taking on Nursultan Asker in the co-main bout.

With two major cards just days apart, BRAVE CF’s “Kombat Kingdom” series once again places Bahrain at the heart of the world’s MMA conversation — a small nation with a major fighting spirit that continues to punch above its weight.