NEWS

The biggest names in sports and entertainment were in attendance for the historic BRAVE CF 51: THE FUTURE IS HERE in Minsk, Belarus last Friday, June 4th, and one of them who watched the event at cageside was mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko.

Considered the No. 1 women’s flyweight in the world today, the 33-year-old native of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan has been competing in the sport for nearly two decades and has a wealth of experience under various promotions on her resume. 

Shevchenko, who was personally invited by the Bahrain-based organization to be one of the honorary guests that evening alongside Brazilian actor Caio Castro and football legend Alexander Hleb, commended BRAVE CF’s work in its production and promotion of athletes in its maiden venture on Belarusian soil.

“I think it’s very good,” she said. “They did well to showcase not just the fight itself, but also to show the different side of the fighters. This is one of the most overlooked aspects in the lead-up to the fight because it resonates with the feeling and their spirit heading to the fight.”

“It’s very important because professional sport is not just about technique, but it’s also about the charisma of the fighter and their character. Side events such as press conferences and open training help in discovering the personalities of the fighters,” Shevchenko added.

Keenly observing how the company operated during the week-long festivity, Shevchenko pointed out several characteristics that separate BRAVE CF from its competitors. 

“I think the most important thing is a good spirit, the spirit of sportsmanship. I loved seeing the respect and definitely being an example of a good organization,” the UFC women’s flyweight titleholder stated. 

“It’s all in the details. If it works like a clock, then you can tell that it’s a good organization. And for me to be here for four to five days, I can tell that they worked very smoothly,” she continued.

The protagonists of BRAVE CF 51: THE FUTURE IS HERE put on a stunning show this past Friday, showcasing heart, determination, and warrior spirit. There were thrilling performances from beginning to end, which made the aforementioned spectacle one of the most entertaining MMA cards of 2021.

Belarusian hometown hero Denis Maher kept his immaculate professional record unscathed by authoring a first-round stoppage victory over previously-unbeaten standout Rinat Sagyntay of Kazakhstan to extend his outstanding winning streak to eight bouts.

Meanwhile, Englishman Sam “The Future” Patterson raised his stock in BRAVE CF’s stacked lightweight division by toppling Ylies “Tupek” Djiroun of France via unanimous decision.

On the other hand, Maher’s compatriot Vadim Kutsyi put the entire super welterweight bracket on notice by defeating fellow debutant Daniyar “Doni” Abdibaev of Kyrgyzstan by way of unanimous decision.