Abdisalam Kubanychbek is gearing up for the first actual defence of his Lightweight world title as he fights Raul Tutarauli at BRAVE CF 87.
A Lightweight title fight is set to headline BRAVE Combat Federation’s second event in the Netherlands, as reigning Lightweight champion Abdisalam Kubanychbek defends his title against Georgian two-division champion Raul Tutarauli at BRAVE CF 87, scheduled for September 22 in Alkmaar.
The fight marks Kubanychbek’s actual first title defence. He was initially scheduled to defend the title at BRAVE CF 77 against Lucas Martins, but after the challenger didn’t make weight, the bout was moved to a non-title affair. Nevertheless, Abdisalam showcased his world-class pedigree, running through Martins to earn a first-round stoppage.
The Kyrgyz star has been undefeated in BRAVE Combat Federation and has not lost a fight since 2017. With victories over notable opponents such as Kamil Magomedov, Olzhas Eskaraev, Lucas Martins, Jahongir Saidjamolov, and Rolando Dy, Kubanychbek has firmly established himself as a dominant force in the Lightweight division and the most feared fighter on the roster, nicknamed as The Boogeyman of BRAVE CF.
Raul Tutarauli, meanwhile, aims to achieve what his fellow Georgians Ilia Topuria and Guram Kutateladze could not make it happen: winning the BRAVE CF title. Although new to BRAVE CF, Tutarauli is familiar with the roster, boasting a 5-1 record against BRAVE CF alumni, with a star-studded resume that includes wins over Marcel Grabinski, Valeriu Mircea, and Marcin Held.
A two-division champion in the regional Featherweight and Lightweight divisions, Raul is currently ranked as the number one Lightweight in five different regional Tapology rankings and also holds the top position in four different regional Featherweight rankings making him one of the toughest challenges Kubanychbek has faced to date.
At the same time, Raul holds a professional MMA record of 34 wins and 7 losses, with 22 of those wins coming by knockout—nearly double the number of knockout victories held by the current Lightweight champion.
BRAVE CF 87 will be held in association with Enfusion’s ECE MMA and will be the seventh event of the year for BRAVE Combat Federation and the second in the Netherlands. The organisation debuted in the Netherlands earlier this year with BRAVE CF 83, further extending its record as the most hosted MMA organization in the world and in Europe. BRAVE Combat Federation now returns to the Netherlands as part of the organisation’s 70-day world tour, covering six countries worldwide.
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