There are just a handful of fighters from the time of Gladiators who could electrify arenas and give that adrenaline rush to the fans packed in the audience. Mohammed Fakhreddine (14-4-0, 2 NC) is one fighter who has stood the test of time, fighting across generations, and has constantly reinvented himself.
While MMA continues to be considered as a ‘sport’ by a few, who have no clue what fighting is all about, Fakreddine is the definition of a fighter. At age 37, he decorates the BRAVE CF Middleweight World Championship around his waist after demolishing Daniel Pereira, proving most MMA experts wrong and who unestimated the fighting pride of Lebanon. Fakhreddine made his comeback, inspiring Lebanon that went through one of its greatest disasters in history. With the championship title around his waist, he represents the hopes and fighting spirit of Lebanon.
On March 11, at BRAVE CF 57, he will face Said Maalem of Algeria (11-3-0, 1 NC). Maalem is one of the toughest fighters in the division making his opponents lose weight faster than anything purely out of the stress of fighting someone who is a fierce striker and an adept submission artist. Representing the indomitable spirit of Algeria, Maalem butchered Todd Stoute during his BRAVE CF debut. Previously as the two clashed at BRAVE CF 52, Maalen took on Fakhreddine by throwing illegal shots behind his neck. To add insult to the injury, the Italian Federation of Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts decided to overturn the outcome of the bout stripping the title away from Maalem following a thorough investigation.
The much-awaited rematch will showcase Algeria coming to take the championship title from Lebanon with odds in favor of Maalem with an impressive career record of a 6-fight-win-streak in his advantage against Fakhreddine, who many point out is past his prime fighting age.
But Fakhreddine has previously proved MMA experts wrong as he put Daniel Pereira into irrelevance as the referee had to take pity and stop the fight to ensure Pereira gets back home alive from the fury of Lebanon’s rage streamed through Fakhreddine’s fists.
The fight can go either way, which makes it a must-watch for fight fans. With both fighters having bad blood between them, this will be one of the most exciting fights in the Middle East in the coming weeks, with a lot of bad blood to be settled on one of the most exciting fight nights from BRAVE CF.
About the author
Hari Bhagirath is the former Chief Creative Officer at BRAVE Combat Federation. Currently, he heads Strategic Relations and Financial Communication for a major Fortune 100 organization. He is also the co-founder of Totem Capital, a private wealth management initiative.
