BRAVE CF 86 Delivers Thrilling Action in Bulgaria: Mohammed Said Maalem and Khamzat Maaev Shine

LockerRoom Team

31 Aug 2024

BRAVE Combat Federation made an electrifying debut in Bulgaria with BRAVE CF 86, captivating thousands of fans at the arena in Burgas and viewers worldwide.

In the main event, Mohammed Said Maalem bounced back from his previous loss at BRAVE CF 81 by stopping Bulgarian veteran Atanas Djambazov in the third round. The bout began with a fierce exchange of strength, but Djambazov showed signs of fatigue as the fight progressed. Seizing the opportunity, Said Maalem capitalized on Djambazov’s exhaustion to secure a decisive finish.

The co-main event saw Alex Lohoré extend his streak of first-round finishes with a dominant performance against Bulgaria's Jivko Stoimenov. Lohoré's powerful uppercut dropped Stoimenov, and he followed up with strikes until the referee called a halt to the bout. Lohoré, now seeking a Super Welterweight title shot, expressed interest in challenging Kamal Magomedov.

The clash between Pavel Vladev and Christian Mach was a rollercoaster, with Vladev initially seeking a quick finish only to be thwarted by Mach's grappling. Vladev nearly achieved a ground-and-pound stoppage at the end of the first round but fell short. He eventually secured the win with ground and pound in the second round, extending his winning streak to six.

Khamzat Maaev made a strong return with a first-round submission victory over Antonio Bushev. Maaev applied relentless pressure and secured a triangle choke, marking his fifth first-round finish and a successful rebound after his loss at BRAVE CF 79.

Rusi Minev, a six-time Amateur MMA champion, showcased his grappling skills to dominate Christos Tsirimokos over three rounds, handing Tsirimokos his first professional MMA loss.

In a high-energy catchweight bout, Eduard Evdokimov defeated Gabriel Gilthon with a liver kick and follow-up strikes in the third round, showcasing the classic grappler versus striker dynamic.

Opening the event, Anton Yanchev remained undefeated with a first-round submission victory, securing his third consecutive win by stoppage and earning significant crowd support.

BRAVE CF 86 solidified BRAVE Combat Federation's dominance in the European MMA scene and extended its global reach as the leading MMA organization worldwide. The promotion will next head to the Netherlands for BRAVE CF 87 on September 22, followed by BRAVE CF 88 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, for a world title doubleheader.

BRAVE CF 86 Results:

• Light Heavyweight: Said Maalem def. Atanas Djambazov via TKO (punches) - 3m15s - Round 3
• Super Welterweight - Alex Lohoré def. Jivko Stoimenov via KO (punches) - 4m03s - Round 1
• Lightweight: Pavel Vladev def. Christian Mach via TKO (strikes) - 4m50s - Round 2
• Super Lightweight: Khamzat Maaev def. Antonio Bushev via submission (triangle choke) - 1m50s - Round 1
• Lightweight: Rusi Minev def. Christos Tsirimokos via unanimous decision (3x 30-27)
• Catchweight 68kg - Eduard Evdokimov def. Gabriel Gilthon via TKO (Strikes) - 2m59s - Round 3
• Lightweight: Anton Yanchev def. Patryk Krzak via submission (rear-naked choke) - 2m47s - Round 1

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