Mehmosh Raza: Overcoming Bullying and Chasing MMA Dreams with BRAVE CF

Mehmosh Raza's journey into mixed martial arts was fueled by curiosity and a deep survival instinct. Growing up in Pakistan, his cousin introduced him to the world of MMA through an epic fight between legends Wanderlei Silva and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

"Organized MMA didn't exist in Pakistan when I was a teenager. My cousin, who was in Canada, got exposed to it and showed me videos of Wanderlei Silva, instantly becoming my favorite fighter," Raza recalls. He will soon compete at BRAVE CF 72 in an exciting Featherweight bout against France's Yanis Ghemmouri in Riffa, Bahrain, on June 23.

Despite not training at the time, Raza became obsessed with watching fights. Soon after, his family relocated between England and Northern Ireland, where he faced racism and bullying. Determined to overcome these challenges, Raza found himself defending himself daily. His sister would joke, "Mehmosh is probably fighting someone again."

Upon returning to Pakistan, Raza faced further bullying for being too Westernized. However, he vowed never to become a bully himself, as he understood the pain it caused. In 2013, an 18-year-old Raza discovered an unsanctioned fighting tournament on the rooftop of a combat sports gym in Islamabad.

"Intrigued by this event, I messaged the Facebook Page, expressing my interest to fight even though I had no training. They invited me, and I thought I was ready," Raza recalls. In his debut fight, he tried to emulate Wanderlei Silva's style but ultimately lost. This experience ignited his passion, and he began official mixed martial arts training the very next day.

From that point on, Raza thrived in MMA. He trained extensively in China and Thailand, but his base remained in London. Fighting out of GB Top Team, he gained a reputation by competing in over nine promotions worldwide.

Raza became a pioneer of Pakistani MMA, debuting for BRAVE CF in the promotion's first-ever trip to Pakistan at BRAVE CF 17 in Lahore in 2018. He secured the quickest BRAVE CF submission at the time, defeating Arben Escayo with a guillotine choke in just 23 seconds of the first round. This moment holds a special place in his heart.

"I am truly grateful to BRAVE Combat Federation for allowing me to fight in my homeland. It will forever remain a big highlight, a great memory," Raza expresses. He has fought abroad in other fighters' backyards but always emerged victorious, and he hopes to recreate the magical BRAVE CF 17 moment in his upcoming fight against Yannis.

ALSO READ | BRAVE CF star Mehmosh Raza recalls how he used to fight on rooftops

As a staple of the BRAVE CF Featherweight division, Raza aims to chase 145-pound gold with a win over Yannis Ghemmouri, one of France's fastest-rising stars. The MMA scene in Pakistan is growing, and Raza wants to continue making an impact while representing his country on the international stage.

LEAVE A COMMENT

Please login to leave a comment

0 Comments