STEPHEN Loman’s third title defense may be the toughest as the Team Lakay bantamweight champion will headline the first Brave Combat Federation (CF) event in the Philippines when he squares off against Elias Boudegzdame of France.
Dubbed Brave 22: Storm of Warriors, Bahrain’s largest mixed martial arts promotion will have its debut at more than 20,000 seater SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on March 15.
Loman is the youngest fighter to be crowned as the world champion in the Bahrain based global mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and the only Filipino fighter to defend the world championship in the United Kingdom when he faced the 2015 International Mixed Martial Arts Federation Gold Medalist and Straight Blast Gym Ireland fighter, Frans Mlambo during Brave 13 hosted in Belfast last year.
But Loman is up for another tough challenge as Boudegzdame, the former featherweight world champion moves to bantamweight.
Currently with 15 wins and five losses, Boudegzdame is coming out of a loss to Bubba Jenkins, of the United States.
Loman on the other hand holds a professional MMA record of 12 wins and two losses defending his title twice last year since winning the bantamweight belt in November 2017 against Gaurdashan Mangat.
Brave CF in an earlier statement said aside from Loman, the event will also feature the biggest names in MMA from the Philippines including his Team Lakay fellow Jeremy Pacatiw.
Brave CF had been hinting expansion of operation to Philippines over a period of time as the promotion eyes expansion of the brand into South East Asia.
Previously, Brave CF has ventured into Indonesia to host Brave 12.