CV Stardom

Nicholas Hwende, 30, of Zimbabwe and South Africa will be in Kazakhstan soon. He will fight Omar Solomanov, 33, of Odessa, Ukraine in the 105th event of BRAVE Combat Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Seef, Bahrain.

Hwende was born and raised in Gokwe North District, Midlands, Zimbabwe. He is training out of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

Nicholas Hwende vs Omar Solomanov

The international spotlight for MMA will once again shine on Central Asia as BRAVE CF returns to Kazakhstan for a monumental event. On May 31, 2026, the organization will host “BRAVE CF 105” at the historic Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty.

Produced in collaboration with the Alash Pride League, this event marks the promotion’s fourth visit to the nation since 2017, reinforcing Kazakhstan’s pivotal position in the global expansion of BRAVE CF. Following the momentum of “BRAVE CF 103” in Uzbekistan, this upcoming card aims to bridge the gap between regional talent and the international stage.

The main event features a high-stakes battle for the vacant BRAVE CF featherweight world championship between Hwende and Solomanov. The latter is the promotion’s interim champion in the same division.

For Hwende, this bout represents a career-defining opportunity to become only the second athlete in the promotion’s history to capture world titles in two different weight classes. He previously made history as a bantamweight world champion before suffering a loss to Borislav Nikolic in 2025. Since that setback, he has rebounded with a dominant performance at “BRAVE CF 98” against Xie Bin.

As Hwende prepares for this five-round clash, he is focused on cementing his status in the sport. Regarding the magnitude of the upcoming title fight, he reflected, “Moments like this are what every fighter dreams of. To become a two-division World Champion in BRAVE CF would be historic, but I am not just chasing history, I am chasing proof that I belong among the very best who have ever stepped into this sport.”

Solomanov brings a professional record of 14 wins and 3 losses, including eight knockouts. Having secured interim gold in September 2025, the Ukrainian MMA champion is a formidable obstacle in Hwende’s path.

Despite acknowledging Solomanov’s credentials, Hwende remains unshakable in his resolve. The Zimbabwean MMA fighter said, “I respect what Omar Solomanov has achieved, but respect does not mean hesitation. He is just another man standing in the way of what I want, and I have never been the type to step aside for anyone.”

With a professional record of 10-2, Hwende is entering the cage with clear intent, viewing “BRAVE CF 105” as the ultimate validation of his abilities. He shared, “This is not about prediction or promise. This is a warning. I am coming to impose myself, to break resistance, and to show that no challenge is too great when I step into that cage.”