Rolando Dy, Jenel Lausa hope to be part of Brave CF’s debut in Belarus
BAHRAIN-BASED Brave Combat Federation (CF) will stage its debut event in Belarus in June, an event that Filipino fighters under the promotion hope to be part of.
To be held at the Falcon Club Arena in Minsk on June 4, “Brave CF 51” has the organization descending on Belarusian soil for the first time, part of its continued push to take its brand of mixed martial arts (MMA) action to more places and fans in the world.
Brave has yet to announce the fight lineup for the breakthrough event but Filipinos Rolando “Dy Incredible” Dy and Jenel “The Demolition Man” Lausa have expressed their desire and readiness to be part of the card if asked.
Coming off a loss in his previous lightweight fight in March to Abdisalam Kubanychbek of Kyrgyzstan, 29-year-old Dy (14-10) is seeking to bounce back and is looking at Brave CF 51 to be the jump-off point.
“I have no other options but to get back up. I know the loss to Kubanychbek will make me a better fighter. I learned a lot from that loss more than I learned from my wins. I will be ready for the next one. I hope I will be back in action very soon,” said Mr. Dy.
The son of Filipino boxing legend Rolando Navarrete is also looking to showcase his MMA skills to European fans if given the opportunity.
“I haven’t been to Europe yet, and it’s enticing to fight over there. Belarus is a great starting point of my road to redemption. I won’t think twice about taking that offer to fight in Europe.”
Redemption is also in the minds of flyweight Lausa (7-6) after dropping his maiden fight in Brave also in March against Ryskulbek Ibraimov of Kyrgyzstan.
The boxing champion who has transitioned to MMA said he is aiming for a quick turnaround and sees the Belarus event as a great opportunity to get back on the winning track.
“I think of it as a lesson. It will serve as an inspiration to push myself to the limit. I will triple my time in training. I’m not discouraged at all. I want to fight as soon as possible. Winning and fighting again will motivate me,” said Iloilo native Lausa of his Brave debut loss and his mindset moving forward.
The chance to fight in Belarus also has added significance, Mr. Lausa shared, as he is a fan of Belarusian MMA legend Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.
“He’s one of my idols. I admire how he fights in the cage because he’s exciting and gives it all in every fight. It will be a dream come true if I get to fight where he started his career,” Mr. Lausa said.
Founded in 2016, Brave has made significant headway in bringing top-class MMA action in different parts of the globe, including the Philippines.
Since being established, the company has visited more than a dozen countries.
Brave said that by taking MMA to a wider range, it hopes to give a truly global platform to athletes for their in-cage abilities and fighting qualities.
Most recently, the promotion staged an historic four-event stretch, dubbed “21 Days of MMA Mayhem,” which ran from March 11 to April 1. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
