BRAVE CF 82 showcases four athletes who have risen from their beginnings in IMMAF to become champions on the global stage of BRAVE CF.
Over the years, BRAVE Combat Federation and the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) have been working together to create a thriving ecosystem in MMA.
Through the partnership, both parties have been growing the sport at the grassroots levels across the globe and have also created a successful amateur pathway through which athletes coming through the IMMAF system are able to seamlessly transition into professional ranks and gain global exposure through BRAVE Combat Federation.
More than 50 fighters from 20 nations have already made use of this visionary pathway and BRAVE CF 82, which is scheduled to happen in Mauritius on May 11 will once again showcase how this amateur pathway has paid dividends to the world of MMA.
Headlining BRAVE CF 82 are Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres and Nkosi Ndebele, both products of the IMMAF ranks. Jose Torres is a two-time IMMAF world champion having won the Gold Medal in the Bantamweight category in 2014 and 2015, the first fighter to win two world gold medals under IMMAF. Nkosi, on the other hand, was the 2017 IMMAF African Champion at Featherweight, and is now the reigning, defending BRAVE CF Bantamweight champion of the world.
Touted as the best amateur MMA fighter of all time, Ramazan Gitinov will also be in action on the BRAVE CF 82 card. Ramazan is a three-time IMMAF World champion and won medals at the IMMAF European, African, Oceania and Asian Championships as well before transitioning into professional MMA.
The event also features notable success stories like Eliezer Kubanza, whose 2017 IMMAF African Championship victory over Ramazan Gitinov propelled him to prominence within the MMA community. Kubanza went on to achieve two African IMMAF titles before taking the pro ranks by storm within BRAVE CF in 2023.
While these are the success stories that are already visible to the world, the next generation of global superstars is making use of the pathway by competing in the IMMAF events happening across the world, and is especially true for the African amateur fighters, who will land in Namibia on May 27 to fight at the 2024 IMMAF African Championships, hoping to become the next Kubanza and Ndebele.
BRAVE CF 82 will happen on May 11 in Mauritius and will be the debut event in the nation for BRAVE Combat Federation and the fourth event in the continent. It will also be the second event of 2024 for BRAVE CF following a successful outing in Slovenia for BRAVE CF 81.