MMA – GEORGIAN powerhouse Raul Tutarauli captured the BRAVE CF interim lightweight world title in the main event of BRAVE CF: Georgia vs the World,staged at Tbilisi New Sports Palace.
BRAVE Combat Federation (BRAVE CF), the world’s fastest-growing and most global mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation, made history in the Georgian capital with its first-ever premium live event, held in partnership with Georgian Fighting Championship (GFC).
The landmark showcase headlined the fifth edition of BRAVE International Combat Week, bringing fans a night to remember. The card featured nine high-stakes match-ups that pitted Georgia’s finest athletes against elite international athletes, capped off by a thrilling BRAVE CF world championship bout that served as the evening’s centerpiece.
Tutarauli claimed the coveted belt after overcoming Dutch contender Pieter ‘The Archangel’ Buist with a valiant performance. Tutarauli took control from the opening bell, imposing his relentless wrestling and ground mastery to neutralise Buist’s offense. The Georgian nearly wrapped things up in round two with a deep arm-triangle choke that had the arena on edge.
Maintaining his pressure throughout, Tutarauli pushed the pace in the championship rounds, cementing his place in the record books as the first Georgian mixed martial artist to claim BRAVE CF gold by way of unanimous decision.
With the interim crown in his possession, he now turns his attention to a future unification rematch against lineal divisional king and rival Abdisalam Uul ‘Omok’ Kubanychbek.
In the co-main event, Georgian sensation Lasha Abramishvili attained the most significant triumph of his promising BRAVE CF career to date by halting number three-ranked bantamweight contender Khurshed Nazarov of Tajikistan. With the Tbilisi crowd firmly behind him, Abramishvili drew a chorus of cheers when he floored Nazarov with a crisp right straight. Sensing the finish, the hometown favorite pounced with a relentless flurry of hammerfists, leaving the referee no choice but to wave it off with just one second remaining in the first round.
Mukhrani Narsavidze added another victory for the host nation with a stellar showing against Moldovan opponent Gheorghe Gritko in their 85.1kg catchweight duel. The Georgian stalwart immediately went on the offensive, scoring an early takedown and relentlessly pursuing a submission. After several attempts, Narsavidze capitalised on an opening and locked in a tight arm-triangle choke, compelling the tap and decisively registering the triumph in his ledger.
Georgia’s Luka Giorgadze made a statement in his debut on the world stage, dismantling Aruba’s Reymond ‘Monti’ Jowett in their 66.8kg catchweight tiff. Right from the get-go, Giorgadze imposed his will with punishing leg kicks that halted Jowett’s rhythm, before unleashing crisp boxing combinations punctuated by a thudding hook to the body.
The relentless assault wore Jowett down through three rounds, and when the scorecards were read, the Georgian standout earned a dominant unanimous decision victory.
Ismail ‘The Volcano’ Khan kept his flawless BRAVE CF record intact with a dominant showing, finishing Azerbaijan’s Elmir Jafarov in under a round of a 59.5kg catchweight tiff.
The rising star from Pakistan exhibited his submission mastery, sinking in a rear-naked choke that rendered his foe unconscious. The victory marked his sixth career tapout triumph and extended his winning streak under the promotion’s banner to three.
Kazakhstan’s Timur Kuanysh put forth a stunner in front of a partisan audience, outlasting Georgia’s Dimitri Bolkvadze in a thrilling featherweight contest. Relying on his dominant ground game, Kuanysh nearly sealed the victory in the second round with a tight rear-naked choke. Bolkvadze, however, showed tremendous grit, storming back with a spirited rally in the final frame. In the end, Kuanysh’s relentless grappling and late offensive push were enough to author a unanimous decision win.
Borena Tsertsvadze delivered Georgia’s second win of the night – and the card’s first finish – by dispatching Azerbaijan’s Khanim Bashirova in their women’s 60.5kg catchweight clash.
Wasting no time, the Georgian heroine charged out of her corner with clear intent, swiftly taking her opponent to the mat. From there, Tsertsvadze transitioned seamlessly into a dominant position before locking in a scarf-hold armlock that forced the tap and sealed the victory. Georgian lightweight Badri Focxverashvili electrified Tbilisi New Sports Palace with a dominant showing against France’s Levy Carriel.
Right off the bat, both men waged a grueling back-and-forth battle, but it was the hometown favorite who seized control once he brought the bout to the canvas. Showcasing his superior grappling, Focxverashvili punished Carriel with relentless ground strikes and suffocating top control on his way to a clear-cut unanimous decision victory.
BRAVE CF: Georgia vs the World kicked off in high gear with a 57.5kg catchweight showdown between Bulgaria’s Nikolay Atanasov and Azerbaijan’s Adigozel Guliyev. The two warriors delivered a non-stop battle from the opening bell, exchanging heavy strikes on the feet while mixing in relentless takedown attempts to break each other’s rhythm. After three thrilling rounds, it was Atanasov who edged out a hard-earned split decision victory on the judges’ scorecards.
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