The headline bout of Brave CF 81 just got even bigger.

The matchup, which will see Erko Jun go head to head with Mohammed Said Maalem in Ljubljana, Slovenia on Saturday, April 20, was already marked as a big fight for the promotion’s light heavyweight division.

But now, following a statement from Brave CF president Mohammed Shahid, the matchup carries additional weight, with the bout now set to be a championship eliminator fight, with the winner set to move on to challenge for the vacant 205-pound title.

Speaking on his Hawk’s Corner podcast, Shahid stated, “There is no question. This is it. The winner is fighting for the light heavyweight title.”

The announcement has lit a fire under both competitors, with Jun telling Brave CF, “I need to wear that Brave CF belt around my waist. I’m aiming for that belt.

“So, whatever is in my way, I’m coming to take it. I’m even more motivated.”

Brave CF

Said Maalem’s motivations are even clearer. The Swiss-born Algerian briefly held the Brave CF 205-pound title in 2021, but after his first-round TKO of Mohammad Fakhreddine was subsequently overturned to illegal blows to the back of the head, “L’Ambiance” was stripped of the belt barely before he’d had chance to celebrate winning it.

Now, after 18 months away from the Brave CF cage, Said Maalem is back, and looking to earn a chance to recapture the title once again.

“The title belongs with me,” he stated.

“In Slovenia, victory will be mine, and whoever Brave CF puts in front of me after that, I’m going through him and getting the title back.”

Brave CF

Brave CF 81: Confirmed fight card

MAIN CARD

• Erko Jun vs. Mohammed Said Maalem – light heavyweight title eliminator
• David Forster vs. Christian Mach
• Pavel Dailidko vs. Valdrin Istrefi
• Monika Kucinic vs. Sofiia Bagishvili

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Haris Aksalic vs. Baki Sahin
• Agron Smakici vs. Patryk Dubiela
• Domen Drnovsek vs. Andrean Murug
• Gerard Burns vs. Danijel Spoljaric