Guram Kutateladze out; Cleiton Silva vs Luan Santiago rematch at ‘BRAVE CF 35’ in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil

BRAVE Combat Federation has confirmed the rematch between BRAVE CF Lightweight World Champion Cleiton “Predator” Silva, 33, of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil and former champion Luan “Miau” Santiago, 24, of Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. It will be the main event of “BRAVE CF 35.”

BRAVE CF will hold “BRAVE CF 35” in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil on March 28, 2020. It marks the fifth time BRAVE CF hosts an event in Brazil, making the country the number one home of the promotion alongside the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Both Silva and Santiago were on the “BRAVE CF 35” originally in separate bouts. The reigning champion was supposed to be challenged by Guram Kutateladze, 28, of Georgia and Sweden while the former champion was set to face Issa Isakov, 30, of Athus, Belgium in the lightweight division.

However, Kutateladze was forced to pull from the title bout after suffering a rib fracture during his last sparring sessions ahead of the trip to Brazil. Neither his team nor BRAVE CF has released details about the length of the Georgian-Swedish mixed martial artist’s recovery.

As for Isakov, he is now left without an opponent. BRAVE CF directors confirmed that the Belgian fighter will still be paid his purse for the bout in compensation for his unwanted withdrawal.

On April 19, 2019, Santiago became the BRAVE CF Lightweight World Champion. With a stunning spinning-back elbow, he dethroned then-champion Abdul-Kareem “Pride of Palestine” Al-Selwady, 24, of Amman, Jordan at “BRAVE CF 23” at the Martyr Rashid Al-Ziyoud Hall Boxing Arena in Amman.

But on August 30, 2019, Santiago lost the title. He was dethroned via rear-naked choke submission by Silva in the main event of “BRAVE CF 25” at the Minas Tenis Clube Arena in Belo Horizonte.

“BRAVE CF 35” marks Santiago’s return to lightweight. On November 15, 2019, he defeated Gadzhimusa “Deadshot” Gaziev, 27, Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia via split decision in the super lightweight division at “BRAVE CF 29” at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town, Bahrain.

One of the most active athletes in the entire BRAVE CF roster, Santiago is going for his eighth bout under BRAVE CF. He holds a professional MMA record of 15 wins and 4 losses.

On the other hand, Silva has 15 wins and 2 losses. “BRAVE CF 35” marks his fourth outing in BRAVE CF.