Brave CF 52: Results and Takeaways

Brave CF 52 Results

Mohamed Said Maalem def. Mohammad Fakhreddine via TKO (Punches). Round 1 (4:20) – New Light Heavyweight Champion.
Rustam Chsiev def. Enrico Cortese via TKO (Corner Stoppage). Round 1 (5:00).
Valeriu Mircea def. Ayub Gaziev via KO (Punch). Round 1 (0:43).
Gamzat Magomedov def. Mochamed Machaev via KO (Punches). Round 1 (0:54).
Benoit Saint-Denis def. Arkaitz Ramos via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke). Round 1 (3:09).
Elias Boudegzdame def. Brice Picaud via Submission (Triangle Choke). Round 1 (1:31).
Ahmad Labban def. Virgiliu Frasineac via TKO (Punches). Round 2 (1:09).

Brave CF 52 Takeaways

Mohamed Said Maalem Takes Over the Light-Heavyweight Reigns

At 36 years of age, Mohamed Said Maalem made it seven wins in a row, by being victorious in his biggest fight yet, becoming the new Brave CF Light-Heavyweight Champion. A brilliant first-round saw Said Maalem and Mohammad Fakhreddine come out guns blazing for the finish.

The pair exchanged several strikes, but it was Said Maalem, who caught the vital punch. Fakhreddine was caught off guard, and Said Maalem found the counter left, which dropped Fakhreddine to the canvas. Heavy ground & pound led to the referee stopping the fight with under a minute left in the first round.

Fakhreddine was bidding to become a two-weight champion, but Said Maalem prevented him from becoming the organization’s second-ever light-heavyweight champion. The belt was previously held by Klidson Abreu, who vacated the belt in July 2018.

The light-heavyweight division is desperate for competitors, and Said Maalem will potentially be looking to defend his title at the end of the year or even in the new year. The most likely option could see undefeated prospect Murtaza Talha Ali stepping up for the title fight with only three victories to his name. He does boast three finishes in the promotion, and also held a record of 12-0 in his amateur career.

First-Round Mayhem!

It’s safe to say Brave CF 52 was one of the most extraordinary events, with six of the seven fights, not making it past the first round. Only Ahmed Labban and Virgiliu Frasineac made it into the second, which only lasted a minute and nine seconds with Labban finding the TKO finish.

Former featherweight champion Elias Boudegzdame and the potential soon-to-be super lightweight title challenger Benoit Saint-Denis were the only two to come away with submissions on the night. Saint-Denis stays undefeated with eight wins to his name, and he must surely be the next man to face super lightweight champion Eldar Eldarov.

Gamzat Magomedov shocked the world with a stunning left jab, which knocked out undefeated 21-year-old Mochamed Machaev in only 54 seconds! Valeriu Mircea topped that in the next fight, with a powerful right hand to put Ayub Gaziev to sleep in only 43 seconds.

The co-main event saw the hometown hopeful Enrico Cortese take on Russian wrestler Rustam Chsiev. A battering from the Russian in the first round with heavy grappling and deadly striking saw a corner stoppage for Cortese at the end of round one.

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Featured Image Credits to Brave CF.