Italy:Brave Combat Federation Light Heavyweight division’s title is vacant since 2018 but that doesn’t mean the division has been dormant for the last three years. In fact, it has been one of the most exciting divisions to follow for BRAVE CF fans watching.
With several important names rising through the ranks, as the likes of Zvonimir Kralj, Malik Merad, and Todd Stoute, to name a few, the task of determining the next world champion will be decided in a contest between none other than Mohammad Fakhreddine and Mohamed Said Maalem.
The very first fighter to be signed by BRAVE Combat Federation, back in 2016, Mohammad Fakhreddine is arguably the most popular name in Middle Eastern MMA, with a huge fan-following and a brilliant career already. The incumbent Middleweight champion, Fakhreddine is looking to become the first double champion in BRAVE CF and Arab history.
His opponent, Mohamed Said Maalem had a meteoric rise inside the truly global MMA promotion and, in addition to his heavy-hitting knockouts, developed a fierce rivalry with Fakhreddine over the last months.
After a lot of anticipation and an anticlimactic last-minute cancelation, Fakhreddine and Said Maalem are finally set to settle their differences and crown the next Light Heavyweight champion. They will meet each other in the main event of the evening for BRAVE CF 52, on August 1st, in Milan, Italy.
With a champion sitting on the highest spot of the division, the motivation will run high and whoever wins the upcoming title fight will have a target on his back for the near future. If we start the “Said Maleem Era” on August 1st, it’ll be the rise of the new generation of MENA fighters, with this French-Algerian powerhouse starting a reign of terror over the Light Heavyweight division. If we end up with the “Fakhreddine Era”, it’ll be the first time a fighter sits in two thrones simultaneously in the fastest-growing MMA promotion.
Fakhreddine, who constantly mentions his intentions of being as active as possible, will have two different pools of talents to pick his next challenge. Regardless of the outcome of the title fight, though, one thing is for sure: things are about to get even more exciting on the heavier side of the spectrum of BRAVE Combat Federation.