Eliezer Kubanza had a 2023 to remember as the African superstar put a stamp on BRAVE Combat Federation’s super welterweight division after two majestic victories during the year. And his efforts have been recognized in his country of origin, as he was received on an official visit by the Minister of Sports of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, François Kabulo.
The Knockout artist is competing for the Breakout Fighter of The Year award following a successful 2023 campaign for the world’s most global MMA organization. His BRAVE CF 79 KO of Adel Ibrahim is one of four nominees for KO of the Year, showing the impact Kubanza had upon arriving in the BRAVE Combat Federation.
After his first fight with the organization, Eliezer caused a sensation in the Democratic Republic of Congo when thousands of people were seen celebrating his victory and he was also welcomed by Mr. Kabulo on the occasion. His new visit to the Sports Ministry offices reinforces the nation’s support for his career as Kubanza looks to cement a world title shot in 2024.
“King Kong” had a memorable amateur career, even beating Ramazan Gitinov, widely considered the greatest amateur wrestler of all time, before ascending to the professional ranks. After three wins on the local circuit, Kubanza made a seamless transition to BRAVE CF’s global platform and has become one of the most exciting fighters on the company’s international roster.
During his global debut, Kubanza made waves around the world with his KO of Rayan Atmani, going viral for the power of his head kick, which was blocked by his opponent but generated enough force to knock him out anyway. In his second outing, Eliezer showed his resilience and composure after being rocked early on, using his wrestling to dominate, and finally floored Adel Ibrahim with a ferocious left hook and follow-up shots.
In 2024, Kubanza will try to emulate his personal friend and teammate Nkosi Ndebele, who became the first South African champion in the last event of the year, defeating previous kingpin José Torres in the bantamweight division. It could be the first time in seven years that Africa has two reigning champions at the same time under the BRAVE Combat Federation.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. He is passionate about combat sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He is also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
