We begin today with a universal truth: Waking up in the morning, particularly when it’s early, is a pain in the neck. Sometimes, however, you’ll have a great reason to get up and stretch after your alarm goes off before heading downstairs to the kitchen for that first cup of java.
This Friday morning is one of those reasons. While some MMA fans will have to watch this one on playback due to a 9:00 to 5:00 job, others can call in sick (or at least come into work late) so that they can watch an entertaining day of fights. After over two months away, Brave Combat Federation returns to live action to start off a busy stretch on its 2024 schedule of events.
It does so in a new market. Friday, Brave kicks off a period of six cards in six different nations in 70 days, including three shows this month alone, when the promotion touches down in China for the first time ever. Zhengzhou is the host city of Brave CF 84. Live coverage begins Friday morning at 8:30 am ET/ 5:30 am PT on DAZN inside the United States and features seven MMA fights.
Flyweight Showcase Serves as Focus of Brave CF 84 Main Event Friday
Highlighting the day’s activities is a headlining affair at 125 lbs. Bidzina Gavashelishvili (13-3 MMA, 1-0 Brave) makes his first appearance in the promotion in more than a full year’s time when he takes on Erasyl Shukataev (11-4 MMA, Brave promotional debut) in the Brave CF 84 main event.
With no title at stake on Friday morning, the Brave CF 84 main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the show’s activities.
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Brave CF 84 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the Brave CF 84 main event on Friday morning, Erasyl Shukataev stands as the taller man at 5-foot-7, compared to the 5-foot-5 frame of Bidzina Gavashelishvili, who owns a 67.3-inch reach. No such information was accessible for Shukataev.
Currently, the oddsmakers have installed Bidzina Gavashelishvili as a -225 favorite on the money line, while Erasyl Shukataev counters as a +175 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend in MMA and/or combat sports this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Gavashelishvili Returns After 13-Month-Plus Hiatus
Bidzina Gavashelishvili enters the Brave CF 84 main event this Friday having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five fights. Last time out, he returned to the win column thanks to a unanimous decision victory over Magomed Idrisov (10-1 MMA, 3-1 Brave) on June 23, 2023 during Brave CF 72 on DAZN.
Gavashelishvili, who aspires to become the first-ever Brave CF Flyweight Champion, was supposed to have returned to the cage earlier this year on May 11 during Brave CF 82 against Luthando Biko (12-3 MMA) in what was to be the latter’s Brave promotional debut. This contest was scrubbed before the show took place after Biko withdrew due to an injury.
He hasn’t set foot in an MMA cage to fight in slightly more than 13 months’ time, so this begs the question of ring rust. How much has he trained in recent months to prepare for the Brave CF 84 main event? Has he been able to shake off all the cobwebs?
Wake up Friday morning, tune in and find out.
Erasyl Shukataev Rides Four-Fight Winning Streak into Brave CF 84 Main Event
In the other corner, Erasyl Shukataev comes into the headliner this Friday having gone 4-1 over his last five contests. At the moment, he’s on a four-fight winning streak. More impressively, his last three wins have all been recorded by stoppage inside the first round of the fight.
Back in mid-April, he finished Lizi Congwu (7-2 MMA) during Octagon League’s Octagon 57 (first-round knockout: right cross) just one minute and 14 seconds into the opening bout of the main card from Almaty, Kazakhstan. He’s the fresher fighter of the two in this contest.
Shukataev has made three appearances since June of last year and has been on quite the impressive run of late. Can he make it five in a row?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Look for another strength vs. strength matchup on Friday in the Brave CF 84 main event. Bidzina Gavashelishvili is a freestyle wrestler, while Erasyl Shukataev has dabbled in grappling events.
Watch for Gavashelishvili’s Ground Game
Given Bidzina Gavashelishvili subscribes to a wrestling background, it stands to reason that Erasyl Shukataev might be getting dumped on the mat once the cage door closes Friday. Just watch the film of the first round of his fight against German Barzegyan in ACA 144 from 2022.
During that period, Gavashelishvili dropped Barzegyan and briefly took side control before assuming top mount. While Barzegyan fought to get back to the clinch, this effort proved fruitless as Gavashelishvili dropped him a second time, reassuming side control before transitioning back to the clinch and moving away.
All told, Gavashelishvili took Barzegyan down three times in the opening five minutes. While those three initial takedowns didn’t really amount to too much of anything, the volume of takedowns scored points with the judges. Look for Bidzina Gavashelishvili to go for the takedown early and often Friday morning.
Shukataev Can Make Quick Work of Anybody
As we mentioned earlier, Erasyl Shukataev has won three out the four fights on his current streak by way of finish inside the opening five minutes of action. Therefore, he could be looking to do the same thing again this week. When Shukataev takes control of the fight, don’t blink.
You might miss the end of the contest. One need look no further than his win over Lizi Congwu this past April. Right after the command to fight was given, the fighters stalked one another, waiting for the right moment to strike. For Shukataev, the seminal moment happened when he connected on a brutal two-punch combination, including the aforementioned right hook, to put Congwu down and out.
If Shukataev lands the first big punch of the fight in the Brave CF 84 main event, it could be a wrap early on Friday.
Final Thoughts
Even though there won’t be a title up for grabs in this one, the Brave CF 84 main event ought to be a fun scrap to wake up to on Friday morning nonetheless.
Prediction: Erasyl Shukataev by First-Round TKO.
