The home team for the MMA Super Cup, Team Bahrain, has been revealed, as the world number #1 ranking squad prepares to meet Tajikistan in the opening quarterfinals. The MMA Super Cup takes place next week in Manama on 9, 10 and 12 March 2022.
Organised by BRAVE CF as part of BRAVE International Combat Week, the MMA Super Cup presents some of the strongest, national amateur MMA teams in the world, according to the IMMAF World Amateur MMA rankings alongside wildcard teams. The teams will be facing off to determine the greatest nation(s) in MMA and for the opportunity to win cash prizes of US$100,000, US$75,000 and US$50,000 for first to third place respectively. The prize money is intended to fund the development of the next generation of MMA athletes in the winning nations through their IMMAF affiliated national federations.
Bahrain presents a star-studded line-up with its heavily medaled team. This includes IMMAF pound-for-pound #1 male and female athletes, Ramazan Gitinov and Sabrina Laurentina de Sousa.
At welterweight, Ramazan Gitinov boasts 5 IMMAF gold medals from across the 2019 and 2021 World Championships, 2019 and 2021 European Championships and the 2020 Oceania Open. He also collected 2 silver medals at the 2017 Africa Open and the 2019 Asian Open.
IMMAF Rising Star Sabrina Laurentina de Sousa has two world gold medals under her belt, from the 2019 and 2021 World Championships, and also championed at the 2021 European Championships.
Women’s flyweight Aieza Ramos Bertoloso ranks as #3 female in the pound-for-pound rankings, having attained gold medals at both the 2021 Worlds and Europeans.
At Lightweight, Kurban Idrisov is a 2021 World gold medallist, while substitute Gimbat Magomedov boasts a 2021 World Cup gold and 2021 World Championships bronze medal.
Light Heavyweight Gadzhi Gadzhiev championed at the 2021 Euros and came second place at the 2021 Worlds.
Meanwhile, bantamweight Abdulla Mubarak has the following medals to his name: 2019 Africa bronze, 2020 Oceania silver and 2021 World Cup Prague bronze.
Finally, middleweight Sultan Omarov has made the IMMAF podium three times with two World bronze and one European silver medal (2019, 2021, 2021).
See the full list of Team Bahrain athletes below:
Men:
● Bantamweight (135lbs): Abdulla Mubarak
● Featherweight (145lbs): Haji Mohamed Ali
● Lightweight (155lbs): Kurban Idrisov
Substitute: Gimbat Magomedov
● Welterweight (170lbs): Ramazan Gitinov
Substitute: Magomed Isaev
● Middleweight (185lbs): Sultan Omarov
● Light Heavyweight (205lbs): Gadzhi Gadzhiev
● Heavyweight (265lbs): Sultan Gapizov
Women:
· Flyweight (125lbs): Aieza Ramos Bertoloso
· Bantamweight women (135lbs): Sabrina Laurentina de Sousa
Coaches: Eldar Eldarov; Sharap Gitinov
Bahrain MMA Federation President Mohamad Qambar said:
“Team Bahrain has an exceptional record in IMMAF tournaments and is so far the only national sports team in the Kingdom to be ranked at number one in any international sport. Now we are back at the top with first place in the senior rankings at the World Championships. Our superstar Sabrina da Sousa may not be fighting in her normal weight division, but we are certain she will impress the world alongside the rest of Team Bahrain at BRAVE International Combat Week.”
The MMA Super Cup takes place between March 8 to March 12, during BRAVE International Combat Week, with BRAVE CF 57 taking place on Friday 11 and an Opening Ceremony on 8 March.
