One day out from fight night, BRAVE Combat Federation lit up Burgas with the BRAVE CF 97 ceremonial weigh-ins — and things got heated fast. The usual pre-fight tension turned into something much more dramatic as emotions bubbled over and fighters let the crowd feel it.
Deyan Galinov and Abdou Kadirr Sowe stole the spotlight with a savage face-off that turned physical. A headbutt snapped the silence, forcing BRAVE officials to rush in. No apologies from either side. With their middleweight bout looming, the bad blood feels real now.
There was a different kind of energy between Gerard Burns and Alinson Ochoa. Ochoa missed weight by over three kilos — and Burns showed up offering him a snack on stage. Fans laughed, but it wasn’t just a joke. The Irish flyweight is clearly dialed in ahead of their catchweight clash.
Uncertainty hit the co-main event. Bulgarian crowd favorite Pavel Vladev stood solo during the staredowns, as Abou Tounkara was absent due to last-minute medical issues. BRAVE still hopes to clear the matchup, but for now, it’s wait and see.
Entertainment value came courtesy of Gabriel Bula, who played to the crowd by sniffing Murad Guseinov mid-staredown. It was weird, chaotic, and totally on-brand for Bula — Guseinov didn’t know what hit him.
The main event felt different. Mohamed Said Maalem and Kaloyan Kolev didn’t say a word. Just a long, silent staredown with all eyes on them. Kolev fights with Bulgaria behind him — and he’s looking to get one back for his country after Maalem beat fellow Bulgarian Atanas Djambazov.
BRAVE CF 97 could be one of the promotion’s wildest events of the year. From headbutts to showmanship, tension to patriotism — Burgas is about to witness a card that goes far beyond sport.
