BRAVE Combat Federation has announced the nominees to one of its most prestigious awards: BRAVE CF 2022 Fighter of the Year. BRAVE CF gladiators did not make it easy this time as copious amounts of stars argued a compelling case who should earn the title of the most-global promotion’s elite fighter for 2022.
BRAVE CF Bantamweight champion Brad Katona silenced many critics when he erased all doubts about him being the king of the division. Katona handled his business with big wins over Bahrain’s Hamza Kooheji and his training partner Gamzat Magomedov to earn and retain the 135-pound belt this year.
Former number-three ranked Super Welterweight Marcin Bandel did not waste any time this year. The Pole beat Brazil’s Luis Felipe Dias via unanimous decision before shocking the world with an incredible armbar over crowd favourite and number-two ranked Super Welterweight Ismail Naurdiev to earn the vacant BRAVE CF 175-pound title.
Brazil’s Joilton Lutterbach came in and rocked the show from day one. His first show-stopping event was when he was called in as a late replacement to fight the former number-one ranked Super Lightweight and Germany’s Marcel Grabinski. Lutterbach quickly proved that he is more than just a filler-fighter when he stopped Grabinski via strikes in the first round of their BRAVE CF 61 main event fight. He then sent a strong message to the undisputed Super Lightweight champion, Eldar Eldarov, after he TKO’d the dangerous Moldovan, Mihail Cotruta in the first round of their BRAVE CF 68 bout last year.
Kazakhstan’s Asu Almabaev reminded BRAVE Nation fans why he is set for great things in the BRAVE CF Flyweight division when he recorded three wins (one stoppage and two decisions) in 2022. His all-out action is a must for global fans, and his last submission (rear-naked choke) win over the Philippines’ Kenneth Maningat highlighted his plans of dominating the 125-pound division and wrapping that vacant belt around his waist.
Last – but not least – South Africa’s Chad Hanekom convinced the world that he would never let a title shot slip through his hands again. After suffering that disappointing BRAVE CF Middleweight title loss in South Africa, Hanekom has been on a warpath to secure his status as the king of the 185-pound division. This year he came back with a vengeance as he dominated Mateusz Janur over three rounds before the number-two-ranked South African ended the year with a bang with a colossal “hellbow” over the dangerous South Korean In Jae La at BRAVE CF 66 in November.
VOTE HERE (featuring videos of all nominees): https://www.instagram.com/p/CnMjggZM1Vu/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR nominees:
Brad Katona
Marcin Bandel
Joilton Lutterbach
Asu Almabaev
Chad Hanekom
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