As BRAVE Combat Federation returns to China for the third time on September 19, a young Filipino mixed martial artist will step onto the international stage for the most important assignment of his career to date.
Daraga, Albay native Ian Paul Lora is slated to make his promotional debut on the undercard of BRAVE CF 98, where he will square off against India’s Owais Yaqoob in a three-round lightweight clash at Henan TV Studio 8 in Zhengzhou.
Just 20 years old, Lora carries an unblemished 3-0 record, with one victory coming by knockout and another via submission.
His most notable triumph to date was a blistering nine-second knockout of Lolo Cruz in the Universal Reality Combat Championship last May, courtesy of a thunderous left hook that instantly put him on the radar of local fight fans.
Representing Lion’s Den MMA Academy, Lora now looks to replicate that same explosiveness on a grander platform.
Across the cage, Yaqoob presents a tough challenge. Also making his maiden BRAVE CF appearance, the Indian standout brings a 3-1 slate, having pieced together three straight wins on the regional scene.
In his most recent outing this past April, Yaqoob stopped compatriot Shetty Pratik Sadashiv with a second-round TKO, showing he has momentum on his side heading into Zhengzhou.
But against a proven power puncher like Lora, Yaqoob will be tested. A statement win for the Filipino could catapult his career and solidify his place among the promotion’s promising prospects.
The last Filipino to shine under the BRAVE CF banner was Marwin Quirante, who delivered a spectacular 19-second front-kick knockout of Awan Aqib in August 2024 before eventually moving on to ONE Championship.
BRAVE CF has recently taken strides to expand its Filipino presence. Earlier this year, the Bahrain-based organization inked Drex Zamboanga — the elder brother of ONE atomweight queen Denice Zamboanga — to a multi-fight deal.
However, Zamboanga’s much-anticipated BRAVE CF introduction has been delayed due to an injury sustained in May.
