Pakistani superstar Ismail Khan is gearing up for his BRAVE Combat Federation debut as he will be taking on Kazakh wrestling champion Bagylan Zahakansha at BRAVE CF 85 in home soil on August 18.
It will be a much-deserved homecoming fight for Khan, who has excelled since his amateur days, earning Pakistan’s first-ever world medal in the IMMAF ranks and winning local titles upon turning professional.
Widely regarded as one of the most exciting fighters in Pakistan, ''The Volcano'' is not someone who planned out his path in MMA or even thought about becoming a champion in combat sports. In fact, he entered mixed martial arts by accident.
His journey began unexpectedly in 2016 after his football coach moved to the UAE. Khan had dreamt of making it as a footballer and was desolate when he found himself with no coaching. Desperately seeking another sport, he noticed his neighbour practising shadow boxing. This chance encounter led him to join KAK’s Fight Club in Rawalpindi, where he now trains under head coach Nasir Khan.
Ismail realized his potential in martial arts after his first kickboxing fight in 2017. His talent was evident, and he decided to pursue it as a career. However, his decision was not initially supported by friends and family. Their doubts faded when Ismail knocked out his opponent in just three seconds during his professional debut, earning their respect and support.
“No one supported me until I turned Pro and Knocked out my opponent in just 3 seconds of round number one in front of my family and friends,” he recalls.
A year later, Ismail Khan entered the MMA realm, making his amateur MMA debut in 2018. He enjoyed success in the amateur circuit and went undefeated for four years, even representing Pakistan at the 2021 IMMAF World Championships where he secured three wins before suffering his first amateur MMA loss against Shakhban Gapizov. Nevertheless, he had made history for Pakistan, with the bronze medal in the Worlds.
Ismail wrapped up his amateur career after this loss and transitioned into professional MMA where he restarted his winning streak and went seven fights without a loss before suffering his first career loss. Despite the results being in his favour, it was not always a cakewalk for Ismail.
“In 2022 when it was very difficult to find an opponent for me so at that time my family members forced me to stop Martial Arts and focus on something else. But then after a long discussion of my family with my coaches, they gave us a second chance and warned us that we have only one year to prove ourselves, otherwise we would be done. And Alhamdulillah right now, I am fighting at one of the leading MMA promotions in the world,” Ismail says.
BRAVE CF 85, held in Lahore, will be headlined by the Featherweight showdown between Omar Solomanov and Rauan Bekbolat. The event also features the historic India vs. Pakistan sporting rivalry and will mark the second BRAVE CF event in Pakistan.