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From taking African stars to the world to bringing the world to Africa: BRAVE CF is set to return for Mauritius debut
Feb 17, 2024
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During the announcement of its calendar for 2024, BRAVE Combat Federation celebrated its return to Africa, after hosting events in Morocco and South Africa. On May 11, the most global MMA organization in the world will make its debut in Mauritius, and reinforce its status as the only international promotion to host events in the continent of Africa.
BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid has a long-standing relationship with MMA in the continent, from signing Francis Ngannou to fight in Bahrain before the birth of BRAVE CF in a KHK MMA event to pushing for global shows in the continent after the establishment of the organization. That dream came true in August of 2018, when BRAVE CF 14 took place in Tangier, Morocco, and was headlined by then-Lightweight champion Ottman Azaitar.
A few months later, BRAVE CF returned to the continent for its first event in South Africa. BRAVE CF 19 was notable in many ways as the first international MMA show in the country, but also for the professional debut of Nkosi Ndebele. ‘’The Future’’ shocked the world by beating Ahmed Farress, who held a 14-2 pro record at the time. Nkosi went on to become one of the biggest symbols of BRAVE CF’s grassroots development work, as he became the first-ever homemade BRAVE CF world champion, having fought his entire professional career with the promotion.
At BRAVE CF 31, the promotion went a step further in making history for MMA in Africa. The first-ever mixed martial arts world title fight in the continent was the main event of the evening in Durban, South Africa, when Daniel Gaucho became the inaugural Middleweight champion by beating local hero Chad Hanekom.
Since then, BRAVE CF has continued its support for mixed martial arts in Africa, with a strategy to pick amateur stand-outs and turn them into professional superstars, as is the case with Eliezer Kubanza, one of the top Super Welterweights in the world, hailing from DR Congo. One of the possible contenders to Nkosi Ndebele’s crown is Zimbabwe’s own Nicholas Hwende, which would make for a historic Africa vs Africa world title fight. BRAVE CF has also been responsible for the notable signings of significant athletes from the continent, such as Ibrahim Mane, Sodiq Yusuff, Ahmed Amir, Mahmoud Sebie, among others.
Throughout his career with BRAVE CF, Nkosi has fought in Bahrain, Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, with African fighters overall having opportunities around the world. In total, 12 African nations have been represented under the BRAVE CF banner: Guinea-Bissau, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and DR Congo.
BRAVE CF has continued to give fighters from Africa opportunities to shine on a global stage, and these athletes will now have the opportunity to welcome superstars from across the world into Africa as BRAVE CF begins the work of putting together a fight card worthy of its return to the continent of warriors.
