As MC Carlos Kremer roared the ‘Pride of Bahrain’ Hamza Kooheji’s name at a Press conference held yesterday in the foyer of a popular shopping mall, a group of mixed martial arts (MMA) fans clapped and cheered loudly.
The media interaction was arranged by the BRAVE Combat Federation (BRAVE CF) to promote the three world title fights that will take place tomorrow evening at the Khalifa Sports City Arena as part of the BRAVE International Combat Week.
Headlining the evening will be the much-awaited Bantamweight World Championship clash between Kooheji, the number one ranked fighter in his division in the Middle East, and Canadian-Irish opponent Brad Katona.
In the second highlight of the day, Lebanese champion Mohammed Fakhreddine will face off against Algerian superstar Said Maalem for the Light Heavyweight World Championship while Kyrgyzstan’s Abdysalam Kubanychbek will take on Brazilian Cleiton Silva in the third world title up for grabs: the Lightweight Interim World Championship.
Silva was not present for the often feisty, combative Press meet but Kubanychbek, Maalem and Fakhreddine all made their presence felt by taking humorous jibes at each other and, in true combat sport tradition, made blustery, brash statements, predicting their own victories.
Indian star Mohammed Farhad, who will seek to overcome bantamweight opponent Maysara Mohamed of Egypt in one of the pro fights scheduled earlier in the day, also joined in the bombast, saying he had come to win and that he was sure he would triumph.
Everyone’s focus, though, was on Kooheji. When Kremer, who has been the cage announcer since the very first BRAVE CF event in 2016, asked him how he felt about the upcoming bout, Kooheji replied in typical, understated fashion.
“This fight is very important for me,” he said. “This is the biggest fight of my career and I have taken it very seriously. I have been very motivated and, in fact, I was training so hard that my coaches (head coach Elder Eldarov, among them) had to tell me to take it easy in case I injured myself.”
Meanwhile, one of the noisy Kooheji supporters present decided to ask Katona a cheeky question.
“How do you think you will fare in the fight, given that Kooheji is the superior fighter, and the support he’ll get from his compatriots?” the fan shouted, igniting chants of ‘Hamza! Hamza!’ from those around him.
“Is he the superior fighter? Katona quipped, smiling broadly and appearing unfazed by the good-natured booing that echoed around the big hall.
“All I’m focused on is going into the cage and taking care of business,” he added, continuing to smile.
“It’s good that he has the support of his home fans but that doesn’t bother me.”
Investigation
Questions to Fakhreddine and Maalem, who have a history of bad blood between them and who have engaged in aggressive online trash talk in the months leading up to their bout, elicited starkly different responses.
“I’m going to knock him out!” Fakhreddine declared, while Maalem sat stone-faced. “I’m going to put this fool to sleep!”
“I’m going to put an end to this story,” Maalem said, through an interpreter who translated from Arabic , referring to the last time the two met when Maalem’s victory was overturned after an investigation found that he had delivered illegal blows to the back of Fakhreddine’s head.
“I will destroy you this time,” he said, remaining poker-faced and not even looking in his opponent’s direction.
Kubanychbek also required an interpreter and probably, without an opponent to antagonise, said simply that he would win his bout.
The five-day MMA extravaganza is also home to a new achievement by BRAVE CF: the MMA Super Cup, a new amateur tournament organised in association with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF).
Eight of the world’s best teams – Kazakhstan, Ireland, Mexico, Tajikistan, Oceania Champions and hosts Bahrain along with wild-cards Balkan Champions and Arab Champions – are taking part in the tournament which started yesterday at Khalifa Sports City.
The final will take place on Saturday with the winners receiving $100,000, the biggest amount in prize money for an amateur MMA tournament. The runners-up will take home $75,000 with $50,000 being awarded to the team finishing in third place.
Just before the Press conference ended, Kremer paid tribute to Supreme Council for Youth and Sport first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
“Shaikh Khalid changed my life and the lives of so many people present here,” Kremer, a former US Marine, who has been given the nickname ‘The Roaring Lion’ for his high-octane cage announcements, said. “This event, and all the others which have preceded it, is the result of his vision for the sport of MMA. And his vision has been realised by BRAVE CF CEO and president Mohammed Shahid, the hardest-working chief executive in the business.”
Another round of applause ensued, followed by more chants of ‘Hamza! Hamza!’ as Kooheji walked off the stage to be mobbed by ecstatic fans who wanted selfies taken with him and bombarded him with questions.
“Are you confident that you will win?” asked one young fan.
“Of course, I am!” Kooheji replied.
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