KEY POINTS
- BRAVE CF 51 has set the tone for an MMA revival in Belarus
- Vadim Kutsyi believes BRAVE CF 51 rekindled his countrymen's interest in MMA
- BRAVE CF aims to sustain the momentum by holding more events in Belarus
Middle East-based BRAVE Combat Federation has officially put its most recent event in the record books, a monumental milestone that went down last Friday, June 4.
BRAVE CF: The Future Is Here was a night worth remembering, featuring 11 matches that took place at the state-of-the-art Falcon Club Arena in Minsk, Belarus.
Among the bouts that headlined the card saw three hometown heroes walk away as the big winners of the night.
Denis Maher kept his professional record intact after handing Rinat Sagyntay of Kazakhstan his first defeat. This extended Belarusian's win streak to eight matches.
There was also Vadim Kutsyi, who put the entire super welterweight division on notice. He won via unanimous decision over fellow debutant Daniyar “Don” Abdibaev of Kyrgyzstan.
The last hometown fighter who capped the event was Vadim Rolich. He scored a highlight-reel knockout, stopping Kurbonsho Jamolov with a spinning back-kick and follow-up punches with only 25 seconds left in the final round.
“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,” Kutsyi said. “It’s a good sign because even people who were not interested in MMA before are now watching.”
The performance of the three Belarusian bets was the perfect way to set the tone, restoring the glory days of the country in mixed martial arts (MMA).
The nation is home to some of the best athletes in MMA history, particularly during the 2000s. The live event brought back good memories, and it appears there is more to come.
Vadim Rolich vs. Kurbonsho Jamolov at Brave CF 51 Photo: Brave CF Official photo release
BRAVE CF continues its drive to offer chances to fighters who have been overlooked in regions such as Northern Ireland, England, Sweden, Russia, Slovenia, Romania and Belarus.
Based on the words of BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid, the promotion has no plans of slowing down.
“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,” Shahid stated.
"We are confident that MMA in Belarus will have a big rise in popularity and development after this event.”
