The French Connection: BRAVE CF 100 and France’s Fighting Legacy
From Ngannou to Lohoré, French MMA is part of BRAVE CF’s global story
When BRAVE Combat Federation celebrates its milestone BRAVE CF 100 event on Friday, 7 November, it won’t just mark a historic moment for the MMA promotion. This will also spotlight a nation that’s been woven into BRAVE CF’s very DNA.
France’s influence in mixed martial arts is undeniable, and BRAVE CF has long been a proving ground for its top-tier athletes. From the early days of global expansion to today’s modern stars, French fighters have carved their names into the BRAVE CF legacy – each one carrying the tricolor flag with pride.
The Modern Standard: Alex Lohoré’s Legacy
Alex Lohoré’s career has been defined by movement – across promotions, continents, and cultures. Having competed for the likes of KSW, Bellator, OKTAGON MMA, and Cage Warriors, Lohoré’s evolution as a mixed martial artist mirrors the global rise of the sport itself. But it’s at BRAVE Combat Federation where he has found a platform that amplifies both his skill and his story.
In three BRAVE CF appearances, Lohoré has maintained a perfect record – three fights, three finishes, all by TKO. None of his opponents have made it to the final bell. That level of dominance sets the stage for his biggest test yet: a showdown with Mohammad Fakhreddine, who is a BRAVE CF legend, Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the Middle East’s most decorated fighters.
A French Lineage Woven into BRAVE CF History
France’s connection to BRAVE Combat Federation predates even the rise of some of today’s biggest names. Back in May 2015, at the KHK National MMA Tryouts Finals: IMMAF 2015 Qualifiers, a powerful Cameroonian-French fighter named Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou headlined the event. Representing KHK MMA, Ngannou won by second-round submission and went on to become one of the most dominant heavyweight fighters in the world, with stints in the UFC, PFL, and now professional boxing. While his time in the BRAVE CF ecosystem was brief, his impact laid the foundation for future French and Francophone athletes to follow.
Then came Elias ‘Smile’ Boudegzdame, the first-ever champion crowned in BRAVE Combat Federation history. Representing both Algeria and France, Boudegzdame’s win over Masio Fullen at BRAVE CF 4 in 2017 made him the inaugural BRAVE CF Featherweight World Champion, setting the tone for years of world-class competition to follow. He became part of the promotion’s identity – a symbol of how BRAVE CF could elevate fighters from regions often overlooked by mainstream MMA.
The Champions Who Followed
When ‘Lazy King’ Abdoul Abdouraguimov joined BRAVE CF in 2018, few could predict how quickly he would ascend. Fighting out of France, Abdouraguimov captured the BRAVE CF Welterweight Championship at BRAVE CF 23 the following year, further entrenching France’s dominance in the promotion. His calm, technical approach contrasted sharply with the wild intensity of many opponents – proof that French MMA could bring both flair and discipline.
Similarly, Amin ‘Fierceness’ Ayoub brought a storm of energy into the BRAVE CF cage. After debuting at BRAVE CF 31 in late 2019, he captured the Lightweight World Championship within a year, at BRAVE CF 44. Ayoub embodied the fearlessness of a generation of French fighters who saw BRAVE Combat Federation not as an alternative but as the international platform to prove themselves.
And then there’s Axel Sola, who began his professional career under the BRAVE CF banner. His first five fights – all victories – were fought inside the BRAVE CF cage, showcasing his well-rounded game and mental composure. Those performances propelled him to ARES FC gold and eventually to the UFC, where he now competes among the sport’s elite.
The Present Warriors
While France’s BRAVE CF story has deep roots, its branches continue to grow. Fighters like Mohamed “L’Ambiance” Said Maalem and Tahar ‘Fasthands’ Hadbi have each played their part in shaping the light heavyweight and welterweight scenes. Said Maalem, an Algerian-Swiss fighter who resides in France, remains one of the most recognizable names on the current roster, having shared the cage twice with none other than Lohoré’s upcoming opponent, Mohammad Fakhreddine.
Hadbi, meanwhile, was part of the BRAVE CF family for six years, debuting in 2017 and even claiming a victory over Fakhreddine in their second meeting. Together, these men have built the kind of competitive legacy that ensures France will always have a place in BRAVE CF history.
From the Tricolor to the Ivory Coast
Now, as BRAVE CF 100 approaches, the eyes of the MMA world turn to Alex Lohoré – a man carrying the pride of France, England, and Côte d’Ivoire into the cage. His rise reflects the global spirit that BRAVE CF was built upon: a federation designed to unify nations through martial arts.
Lohoré’s story is a culmination of everything French MMA has stood for within BRAVE CF – passion, perseverance, and purpose. He stands on the shoulders of greats like Ngannou, Boudegzdame, Abdouraguimov, Ayoub, and Sola, yet his mission is uniquely his own. With every punch, every takedown, and every finish, Lohoré represents a new era – one that bridges continents, cultures, and communities under the banner of BRAVE Combat Federation.
At BRAVE CF 100, France’s fighting legacy continues – and Alex Lohoré is ready to make history once again.
