Belgrade, Serbia — BRAVE Combat Federation kicked off 2026 in emphatic fashion with BRAVE CF 104 on Saturday, February 14, in collaboration with the Serbian MMA Federation.
Hosted at the iconic Aleksandar Nikolić Hall, the event featured 12 action-packed bouts, most ending in decisive fashion and setting an electric tone for the promotion’s campaign ahead.
Palhano Silences The Crowd In Main Event
In the headline bout, Brazilian veteran Luciano Palhano stormed into hostile territory to spoil the highly anticipated promotional debut of Serbian super welterweight Nikola Joksović.
From the opening bell, Palhano asserted dominance with seamless takedowns, punishing ground-and-pound, and constant submission threats that muted the partisan Belgrade crowd. After three commanding rounds showcasing his grappling mastery, Palhano secured a clear-cut unanimous decision victory on the scorecards (30-26, 30-27, 30-25).
Miha Frlic Stakes Heavyweight Claim
In the co-main event, No. 2-ranked heavyweight contender Miha Frlic made a thunderous statement, dismantling Italy’s Samuele “Tank” Di Guardo in under a round.
The unbeaten Slovenian floored Di Guardo with a crushing right cross before unleashing a relentless barrage of ground strikes and elbows, forcing the referee to stop the contest at 3:55 of the opening frame. With the emphatic TKO, Frlic strengthened his case for a shot at divisional gold.
Champion Nikolić Delivers Walk-Off Knockout
Reigning BRAVE CF Bantamweight World Champion Borislav Nikolić treated his home fans to a spectacular finish in a 64-kilogram catchweight clash against Portugal’s Matheus Malta.
After surviving early takedown attempts, Nikolić found his rhythm and unleashed a barrage of boxing combinations that culminated in a stunning walk-off knockout at 3:22 of round two, sending the Serbian faithful into celebration.
Gitinov Edges Arutyunyan In War
Top lightweight contender Ramazan Gitinov overcame a stern challenge from Artur Arutyunyan in a closely contested three-round battle.
Despite early wrestling success from Gitinov, Arutyunyan mounted a strong comeback with effective body work. In the closing moments, Gitinov regained control and threatened with a rear-naked choke, ultimately earning a split decision victory (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
Serbian Heavyweights Shine
Belgrade erupted when hometown heavyweight Jovan Leka delivered a spectacular debut against Britain’s Charlie “Kung Fu Panda” Milner. Leka dropped Milner with a lightning left hook before securing an arm-triangle choke submission at 2:36 of round one.
Meanwhile, Georgian powerhouse Genadi Jorjoliani shocked the crowd by stopping previously unbeaten heavyweight Danylo Voievodkin via TKO at 4:15 of round one.
Statement Performances Across The Card
- Davlet Karataev earned his first BRAVE CF win, stopping No. 6-ranked Jan Berus via first-round TKO in a 77.6-kg catchweight bout.
- Serbian standout Nina Nikolija “Queen Beast” Milošević dominated Egypt’s Dina “Black Cat” Osman, securing a unanimous decision (30-26 x3) in their women’s bantamweight matchup.
- Undefeated prospect Ognjen Mićović submitted Romania’s Lucian “Calf Killer” Dragomir with a slick anaconda choke in just 1:51.
- Bahrain’s Kurban Idrisov impressed in his promotional debut, finishing Artem Buloychik via TKO after a flying knee and follow-up strikes.
- Decorated kickboxer Nikola Todorović showcased his evolving MMA skills by submitting Constantin Cretu with a first-round guillotine choke.
- Poland’s Kinga Jendrasik outworked India’s Suchika Tariyal in a competitive grappling battle to win a unanimous decision (29-28 x3).
- Luciano Palhano def. Nikola Joksović via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-25)
- Miha Frlic def. Samuele Di Guardo via TKO at 3:55 of round one
- Borislav Nikolić def. Matheus Malta via TKO at 3:22 of round two
- Ramazan Gitinov def. Artur Arutyunyan via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Jovan Leka def. Charlie Milner via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 2:36 of round one
- Davlet Karataev def. Jan Berus via TKO at 4:49 of round one
- Nina Nikolija Milošević def. Dina Osman via unanimous decision (30-26 x3)
- Genadi Jorjoliani def. Danylo Voievodkin via TKO at 4:15 of round one
- Ognjen Mićović def. Lucian Dragomir via submission (anaconda choke) at 1:51 of round one
- Kurban Idrisov def. Artem Buloychik via TKO at 2:11 of round one
- Nikola Todorović def. Constantin Cretu via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:18 of round one
- Kinga Jendrasik def. Suchika Tariyal via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
A Statement Start To 2026
With a mix of highlight-reel finishes, breakout performances, and a triumphant homecoming for its reigning world champion, BRAVE CF 104 delivered a resounding statement to open the year.
The night in Belgrade reinforced BRAVE CF’s continued expansion across Europe while spotlighting rising stars and established contenders eager to shape the global MMA landscape in 2026.

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer. He’s also the main photographer for the 4CornersMafia Car Club.
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