Kashmir's Owais Yaqoob Knocks Out Bulgaria's Delyan Georgiev To Win BRAVE CF 107 Title

Srinagar: India's rising mixed martial arts star Owais Yaqoob delivered the biggest win of his career on Saturday, stopping previously unbeaten Bulgarian fighter Delyan Georgiev by technical knockout in the opening round of their 68-kg catchweight bout at BRAVE Combat Federation (BRAVE CF) 107 in Burgas, Bulgaria.

The 28-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama needed just four minutes to dismantle Georgiev inside the Octagon, handing the Bulgarian his first professional defeat and extending his own winning streak to six fights.

Owais, who entered the contest with a 5-1 record, improved to 6-1, while Georgiev slipped to 3-1.

The victory came against the odds. According to Tapology, 73 per cent of fans had predicted Georgiev's victory. Instead, Owais dominated from the opening exchange and gave the 32-year-old Bulgarian little room to settle before forcing the stoppage.

Owais Yaqoob needed just four minutes to knock out Bulgaria's Delyan Georgiev. (Special Arrangement)

Commentators hailed the performance as a historic moment for Indian MMA as Owais celebrated atop the cage after the referee waved off the fight.

Before stepping into the cage, Owais had confidently predicted he would finish the fight in the opening round. He lived up to that promise with a clinical display of striking and relentless pressure.

The fighter from Kashmir made a memorable walk to the cage wearing a traditional Kashmiri karakuli cap, a black pashmina shawl and carrying the Indian tricolour. Fighting out of the blue corner, he later climbed the fence after the victory to thank fans and his team.

An emotional Owais reflected on the challenges he overcame to secure the victory.

"Alhamdulillah! Thank you Bulgaria for not supporting me, but one day you will love me. We are professional fighters. I want a belt for India. You don't know how much pressure was on me. We travelled for 40 hours, no sleep for two days and worked on my weight," he said after the fight.

The victory continued a remarkable rise for the 5-foot-8 lightweight, widely known as the "Pride of Kashmir" in MMA circuit.

After losing his professional debut, Owais has transformed his career by winning six straight fights, emerging as one of India's fastest-rising MMA talents.

This was his third appearance in BRAVE CF11. He had announced himself with a first-round stoppage of Ian Paul Lora at BRAVE CF 98 before recording another opening-round finish against Mehmet Can Tasdoven at BRAVE CF 103.

Owais's growth has also been shaped by training with the renowned Team Khabib and the American Kickboxing Academy system. His performances earned him a nomination for BRAVE CF's 2025 Breakout Fighter of the Year award.