It’s not often in the world of sports that you get to see history on a day or night of action. Most times, you don’t know that you’ve seen history take place until after it happens. This weekend, however, is an exception to the rule.
Daytime MMA returns to the forefront this Saturday afternoon in Slovenia where Brave Combat Federation sets up shop in the capital city of Ljubljana for Brave CF 88. Inside the United States, Brave CF 88 can be seen on DAZN beginning Saturday afternoon at 1:30 pm ET/ 10:30 am PT.
All told, barring any further adjustments to the bout order between now and this Saturday, the final version of Brave CF 88 features a nine-fight card, plus a history-making contest in the Brave CF 88 co-main event.
First-Ever Brave CF Heavyweight Championship at Stake in Brave CF 88 Co-Main Event
Much like CFFC 136 the night before, Brave CF 88 will also feature two title fights at the top of the bill. The Brave CF 88 co-main event is going to be one for the books. For the first time ever, the promotion’s heavyweight championship will be on the line, but there’s been a change to the contestants.
Initially, Pavel Dailidko (8-2 MMA, 4-1 Brave CF), a veteran of Caged Steel, was set to meet up with Azamat Nuftillaev (15-1-1 MMA) in what was to be the latter’s Brave CF debut, but Nuftillaev needed to withdraw from the show ahead of fight week. Instead, Patryk Dubiela (6-2 MMA, 1-0 Brave CF), who was already set to appear in a nontitle affair on the card, will step up to the co-headliner to keep the title fight intact.
The Brave CF 88 co-main event is five rounds at five minutes per round for the heavyweight championship. With the conclusion of this fight, every weight class in Brave CF will have a title awarded.
🚨As first announced during the #BRAVECF87 post show, we have a new Heavyweight Title Fight👀
Patryk Dubiela steps up on short notice to challenge Pavel Dailidko🔥
Who will make history as the first ever #BRAVECF World Heavyweight Champion?🏆👀#BRAVECF88 #wfc #MMA# pic.twitter.com/OgeRam76LH
— BRAVE Combat Federation (@bravemmaf) September 24, 2024
Brave CF 88 Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison
Heading into the Brave CF 88 co-main event on Saturday afternoon, Pavel Dailidko stands as the taller man at 6-foot-4, compared to the 6-foot-3 frame of Patryk Dubiela. The latter owns a 76.8-inch reach, with no such information accessible for the former at press time.
Currently, the oddsmakers have yet to release money lines for Saturday’s show. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Dailidko Looking for Another Highlight-Reel Knockout in Brave CF 88 Co-Main Event
Pavel Dailidko enters the Brave CF 88 co-main event this weekend having posted a record of 4-1 in his last five fights. Currently, he’s on a four-fight winning streak.
Last time out, he scored a second-round knockout (elbow shots followed by punches) during Brave CF 81 on April 21 against Valdrin Istrefi (15-5 MMA, 0-1 Brave CF). More impressively, all four of the wins in his ongoing streak have been by way of knockout.
This is a man who has the distinction of scoring three finishes before the bell to end the first round of a contest has tolled over six and a half months’ time and has stopped his last four consecutive opponents. Another win by that method will net him a well-deserved title.
Dubiela Wants Short-Notice Win
In the other corner, Patryk Dubiela has gone 3-2 over the course of the last five contests. Most recently, he scored a first-round knockout via (punches) in just 48 seconds over Kasim Aras (8-5 MMA, 0-1 Brave CF), an alumnus of Bellator MMA, in Brave CF 81.
Pavel Dailidko is the third different opponent that Patryk Dubiela has been booked to face on this card. At first, he was scheduled to fight Martin Batur before that contest was scrubbed.
Subsequent to that cancellation, Dubiela’s next booking was to have been against the aforementioned Valdrin Istrefi, but that fight, too, was postponed once the vacancy in the co-main event slot opened up with the withdrawal of Azamat Nuftillaev from the show.
With the Dailidko fight now locked in for this Saturday, will Patryk Dubiela score the first-ever heavyweight championship in the Brave CF 88 co-main event? Tune in and find out.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
With this being the inaugural Brave CF Heavyweight Championship, both of these men are deserving of a title shot.
Dailidko Works Quickly
As mentioned earlier, Pavel Dailidko had a stretch where he stopped three straight opponents before the first round even ended. The first such instance happened in April of last year, where he knocked out Luka Podkrajsek in Brave CF 70.
During that round, Dailidko absorbed some leg kicks before driving Podkrajsek to the clinch and landing some elbow shots, sprinkling in some knees along the way. A variety of strikes, punctuated by a shot to the body, ended the contest.
If Pavel Dailidko seizes control of the Brave CF 88 co-main event, he’ll be the first-ever champion at heavyweight in promotional history.
Look for Dubiela to Land the Big Knee
In the other corner, knee shots could tell the story for Patryk Dubiela in the Fury FC 88 co-main event, much like they did against Kasim Aras back in April. Round one of the fight saw Dubiela land an elbow before unloading with a shot from the knee.
Afterward, the floodgates opened with Dubiela punching his way to the finish line, scoring the standing TKO in under a minute. If he finds an opening to connect with a knee, he’ll take it.
Final Thoughts
History is a certainty in Slovenia with the Brave CF 88 co-main event. Watch this fight to see who becomes the first heavyweight champion in the promotion.
Prediction: Pavel Dailidko by First-Round Knockout.
