Burgas will host a prestigious international MMA event BRAVE CF 97

On July 12, 2025, Arena Burgas will host BRAVE CF 97, one of the most global and prestigious MMA events ever held in Bulgaria. This will be a unique opportunity for Bulgarian fans to witness high-level MMA bouts live.

The event will bring together fighters from over 10 countries, including Bulgaria, Algeria, France, United Kingdom, Turkey, Germany, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Georgia. Among the main bouts will be the clash between Bulgarian fighter Kaloyan Kolev and Algerian veteran Mohamed Said Maalem. Kolev is returning to the cage with a clear goal - to avenge the defeat of his compatriot Atanas Dzhambazov, who was defeated by Maalem on the same stage last year. Kolev has a 12-1 MMA record and trains at home in the capital. Mohamed Said Maalem, known for his aggressive wrestling and experience on the international stage, will aim to consolidate his dominance over Bulgarian fighters.

Besides them, we will see iconic Bulgarian names such as the machine Anton Yanchev, the attractive and aggressive Pavel Vladev - The Werewolf, the experienced MMA and bare-knuckle boxer Maryan Dimitrov, as well as other fighters in the preliminary bouts like the fearsome Simeon Kichukov, the sambo and wrestling champion Delyan Alishikhi, Blagoy Lachev and many more.

Among the foreign fighters, Jack Grant - a British fighter with diverse fight-finishing abilities, who has achieved 10 knockout wins and 9 submissions out of 20 total wins, and Elieze Kubanza, an undefeated Congolese fighter with 7 consecutive wins, mostly by knockout, make a strong impression. Another impressive matchup is the battle between Frenchman Bryce Picot, who is on a 4-fight knockout win streak, and Georgian Lasha Abramishvili, with a 5-fight win streak, mostly by knockout.

The work of the Bulgarian competitors will not be easy, as BRAVE has pitted them against truly tough opponents. Pavel Vladev will face Frenchman Aboubacar Tunkara, Anton Yanchev will take on French knockout artist Johan Van de Hel, and Marian Dimitrov will fight the dangerous Sofiane Boukichou - an aggressive fighter with 7 wins, all but one ending in the first round by knockout or submission.

Rarely do Bulgarian fans get the chance to witness MMA of such high level live. A true celebration for martial arts enthusiasts in Burgas is about to take place.