BRAVE Combat Federation showcased some of the most explosive fights this past year as athletes did their best to make a name for themselves in the most-global MMA cage. Now, with the inaugural BRAVE CF Arab Awards around the corner, the nominees for the BRAVE Combat Federation Arab Fight of the Year Award have been selected.
The first entry is the BRAVE CF 57 battle between Lebanon’s Mohammad Fakhreddine and Switzerland’s Mohamed Said Maalem. Following their first challenge for the vacant Light Heavyweight title that controversially ended in a No Contest, the hype was shifted into overdrive as the two warriors prepared to settle the score in the rematch. BRAVE CF Middleweight champion Fakhreddine eventually became the first BRAVE CF and Arab double champion when he finished his Swiss opponent via TKO due to strikes in the second round after a barn-burner first round.
The second entry is the BRAVE CF 65 Super Welterweight fight between Lebanon’s Ahmed Labban and England’s Carl Booth. These athletes proved why BRAVE CF matchmakers shifted this fight to the main card. It was wall-to-wall action, with the ever-entertaining and acrobatic Ahmed Labban taking control of the bout for the entire three rounds with his unorthodox striking before recording a unanimous decision (3x 30-27) win.
One of the most nail-biting fights ever in the history of BRAVE CF took place this year at BRAVE CF 57. And the epic Bantamweight title fight between Canada’s Brad Katona and Bahrain’s Hamza Kooheji was always going to make the shortlist for the BRAVE CF Arab Fight of the Year. Both men had good moments in the war of attrition. Kooheji damaged Katona in the clinch, and the Canadian earned takedowns before dominating the grappling. In the end, two judges saw it in favor of Katona, who became only the second Bantamweight world champion in BRAVE CF history.
The Featherweight division also lit up the BRAVE CF cage this year with incredible bouts. But Abdullah Al-Qahtani’s hard-fought unanimous-decision victory over Yong Soo Jung at BRAVE CF 58 eventually made the cut. The final bout to make the shortlist is the Bantamweight scrap between Bahrain’s Abdulla Al-Yaqoob and Jordan’s Fouad Shami at BRAVE CF 65 that ended in Al-Yaqoob securing the split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27) after three breathtaking rounds.
The 2022 BRAVE CF Arab awards include four categories: Arab Fighter of the Year, Finish of the Year, Fight of the Year, and Breakthrough Arab Fighter of the Year.
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Fight of the Year Nominees
Mohammad Fakhreddine(Lebanon) vs Said Maalem (Algeria) 2
Ahmed Labban (Lebanon) vs Carl Booth
Hamza Kooheji (Bahrain) vs Brad Katona
Abdullah Al-Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) vs Yong Soo Jung
Abdullah Al-Yaqoob (Bahrain) vs Fouad Shami (Jordan)
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