HAMZA KOOHEJI FIGHTS FOR A NATION AT BRAVE CF 100: “IT’S FOR BAHRAIN”

When BRAVE Combat Federation celebrates its milestone BRAVE CF 100 event in Isa Town, Bahrain, it will be a return to the very heartland where the promotion’s journey began. One man will embody the emotion, history, and pride of the moment - Hamza Kooheji.

A staple of Bahrain’s MMA scene since the early Desert Force days and one of the original fighters to compete at BRAVE CF 1: The Beginning, Kooheji has lived through every chapter of the Kingdom’s martial arts rise. Now, standing on the cusp of his long-awaited title opportunity, the 14-3 warrior knows that this fight means far more than personal glory.

“This is a make-or-break fight for me,” Kooheji said during BRAVE CF 100 Media Day. He added, “This is the most important fight of my career. It’s not only for me. It’s for Bahrain. It’s for a greater goal than me.”

Those words reflect more than the usual pre-fight motivation - they speak to the deep bond between Kooheji and his nation. Often referred to as The Pride of Bahrain, this  fighter has grown into a symbol of resilience and representation for a country that has invested deeply in MMA’s global rise.

When asked whether he feels a sense of pressure in the nickname he has bestowed upon him, Kooheji made it clear that it is instead the opposite. “It’s an honour to be called the Pride of Bahrain.” He expanded upon that by talking about how it fuels him heading into an arena of combat, “It gives me more power, strength, and confidence to fight for the people of Bahrain.”

That sense of duty now fuels him as he prepares to challenge Serbia’s Borislav Nikolić, the newly crowned BRAVE CF Bantamweight World Champion, who makes his first title defense on November 7. Nikolić may be the man with the title, but Kooheji has something that can hardly be replicated - the backing of an entire nation.

Riding a three-fight winning streak, Kooheji enters this bout with both form and focus. Regardless, the humble contender doesn’t romanticize the spotlight, even as he headlines one of the most significant events in BRAVE CF history.

“I don’t like to fight in main events honestly,” he admitted. “But when it’s given to me, I take it with honour.”

From the early regional circuits to the global stage, Hamza Kooheji has been at the forefront of Bahrain’s combat sports evolution and rise as a force to be reckoned with. BRAVE CF 100 isn’t just another fight night for Hamza Kooheji - it’s a homecoming. For the man who helped build this empire from the ground up, it’s the ultimate chance to etch his name into its legacy - not just as a fighter, but as a national icon.

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ABOUT BRAVE CF

BRAVE Combat Federation, founded in 2016, is the fastest-growing MMA organization globally, dedicated to transforming mixed martial arts from an event-driven business into a comprehensive sports ecosystem. With a vision to provide fighters worldwide a platform to showcase their talents, BRAVE CF has hosted 99 events across a record-breaking 38 countries.

The organization boasts the world's largest MMA development program, featuring over 800 fighters from 90+ nations, supporting athletes from grassroots to professional stardom. BRAVE CF actively supports efforts for SportsAccord recognition and potential Olympic inclusion of MMA.

As the leading sports media property in the Middle East and holding the largest market share in Asia and Europe, BRAVE CF broadcasts to over 160+ countries, reaching 1.7 Billion households worldwide.