This fight saved me from bankruptcy, Rolando Dy recalls fight in BRAVE CF

11 May 2023

Rolando Dy, a former MMA fighter and renowned instructor, has set tongues rolling after hinting at plans to return to the BRAVE CF cage on social media this week. The Philippines' veteran retired from MMA after losing to Kazakhstan's Olzhas Eskaraev at BRAVE CF 62 in September of last year.

The announcement brought tears to the eyes of fans at Almaty's Baluan Sholaq Arena. Given the impact the BRAVE CF 2020 "Fighter of the Year" created, it was the end of a chapter for the BRAVE Combat Federation and the pioneer of Filipino MMA.

During the fighting in six promotions, "The Incredible" became his country's most recognised and experienced mixed martial artist during a 27-fight professional career that includes several highs. Dy, on the other hand, turned the script earlier this week, revealing his sincere gratitude for everything BRAVE Combat Federation achieved for him, his family, and his business before hinting at another run in BRAVE CF.

The Dyincredible Fighting and Fitness Centre owner tweeted a picture of his fight against Poland's Maciek Gierszewski at BRAVE CF 42 on Instagram, a bittersweet occasion for Dy given the struggles he was facing at the time.

“This was against a giant 6’2” Maciek Gierszewski, a Polish fighter with a 100 percent KO winning rate. I took the fight on two weeks' notice during the pandemic period of 2020. I won that fight via split decision. This fight saved my family from being broke and my gym from bankruptcy. This fight saved me from pandemic hunger. Thank you BRAVE Combat Federation family for giving me a lot of fights against the best in the world and for paying me well. I am happy to end my run in your cage. See you guys soon,” said the Filipino.

During the first harsh pandemic wave in 2020, two of Dy's nine BRAVE CF bouts took place. It was a terrible time in the globe, as everything came to a halt.

The subsequent lockdown had a negative impact on industries, particularly the fight game, with BRAVE Combat Federation being one of the only brands to stage world-class shows, with eleven BRAVE CF events taking place during that time, allowing fighters to put food on the table and continue to build their careers.

For Dy, BRAVE Combat Federation's efforts to assist its fighters through that difficult time were not in vain. The Filipino warrior hopes to return to the fastest-growing MMA company for one more stint as a tiny token of thanks to BRAVE CF and the fans.