It all started with a dream. A vision of how his beloved sport of mixed martial arts could give more, to the athletes, to the fans and to everyone associated with it. Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa has transformed into one of the iconic figures of MMA by thrusting his knowledge, passion, and resources into the sport. As he celebrates his birthday, we take a look at His Highness’ path towards MMA legendary status.
As a passionate sportsman, it was no surprise that Shaikh Khalid followed the endeavors of young Hamza Kooheji, the first-ever Bahraini fighter. “The Pride of Bahrain” became a central figure as he tore through the opposition in the local circuit, representing the Kingdom and making sure that the flag of Bahrain was always at the highest post.
During this time, His Highness Shaikh Khalid decided to take the matter into his own hands in all levels with the goal of helping the development of mixed martial arts.His first step was to establish an MMA team, that would mix top international fighters, professional athletes in search of opportunities to shine, and young men trying to make it in the amateur scene. It was that arrangement that allowed KHK MMA to quickly blossom into one of the top MMA teams in the world. KHK MMA had Khabib Nurmagomedov, Frankie Edgar, future and former world champions, as well as Eldar Eldarov, Hamza Kooheji, and Jose Torres. This core represented all levels of athletes that made KHK MMA the fastest-growing team in the sport.
With a strong purpose and a vision of development starting at the grassroots level, KHK MMA began to flourish in the amateur scene, with future Bahraini heroes standing out such as young Hussain Ayyad, who won the first medal for Bahrain at an IMMAF competition. It was then that His Highness Shaikh Khalid realized he could make an even greater impact at the professional level. His vision was to bring the entire sport under one roof, to create a true ecosystem for mixed martial arts, where every talented individual would have the opportunity to thrive, as a fighter, a trainer, a fan or a media member.
BRAVE Combat Federation went from dreams to reality on September 23rd, 2016, the same date of his birthday, when BRAVE 1: Beginning was held in Isa Town, Bahrain. It was the start of a marvelous adventure, one that would take the name of Bahrain around the world in short three years. During this period, BRAVE CF has developed into the number two promotion in the world, providing hundreds of athletes with opportunities to shine at a global stage, and giving fighters from all corners of the planet a chance to become a champion. BRAVE CF has many landmarks to its name, including being the first promotion to host an international show in the continent of Africa, as well as giving the first taste of global MMA in eight countries. In total, BRAVE CF has organized 26 events, in 16 different countries, and five continents.
Shaikh Khaled has also successfully transformed the Kingdom of Bahrain into the center of the sport, with BRAVE International Combat Week, the largest combat sports festival in Asia. Every year, 500+ athletes from 60+ countries travel to Bahrain to take part in the IMMAF World Championships, dubbed the Olympics of MMA.It is a success story for His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. It is also indicative of how much more can be achieved with a clear vision and a perfect execution
