BRAVE CF 69: A look back at the Controversial Lightweight division

29 January 2023

After BRAVE CF 69, which takes place on February 18 in Belgrade, Serbia, there will be a new indisputable champion in the Lightweight division of the BRAVE Combat Federation. Since BRAVE CF turned six last September, the 155-pounders have had seven champions, on average more than one every year, making them the weight class with the most controversy on the organization's roster.

Abdisalam Kubanychbek, who is currently the interim champion, won the provisional championship after defeating Olzhas Eskaraev at BRAVE CF 59. The fight, which won last year's BRAVE CF Fight of The Year, was the most competitive in Kubanychbek's BRAVE CF career and gave top challenger Kamil Magomedov optimism.

Despite having recently suffered a defeat, Magomedov was given the opportunity to face Abdisalam after the obvious candidate, Akhmed Shervaniev, became ill. At BRAVE CF 62, Kamil and Akhmed engaged in a back-and-forth battle, with Shervaniev narrowly defeating Magomedov in a contender for Fight of the Year.

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Kubanychbek aspires to join Ottman Azaitar, Lucas "Mineiro," Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, Luan Santiago, Cleiton Silva, Amin Ayoub, and Ahmed Amir as the eighth undisputed Lightweight champion of the BRAVE CF.

All of these champions share the terrible circumstance that they have never been able to successfully defend their titles. Ottman was stripped of his in 2017 after refusing to do so, making Lucas "Mineiro" the new undisputed champion. After losing his title to Al-Selwady, the Brazilian was avenged by Santiago, a fellow countryman, who became the fourth Lightweight champion with a memorable spinning-back elbow knockout.

Santiago's reign, however, was brief as he lost the world championship to his bitter rival Cleiton Silva, who was then defeated by Amin Ayoub. The final indisputable champion, Ahmed Amir, who was stripped of his title owing to a lack of clarity surrounding his fighting status, then outwitted and outwrestled the French-Tunisian standout.

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The biggest combat sports festival in European history, BRAVE Serbia International Combat Week, will feature Kubanychbek and Magomedov's fight for the Lightweight world championship. One more name will be added to the list of champions on February 18 in Belgrade, Serbia, and one more man will have the chance to end the BRAVE CF Lightweight title curse.