MMA News: Nelson Paes set to face Ali Qaisi at Brave 20 in Hyderabad

Indian Mixed Martial Arts fans had got some disappointing news leading up to Brave 20 as veteran Indian Abdul Muneer was forced to withdraw from the fight card due to a shoulder injury that occurred during wrestling sessions.

The 7-time state champion in boxing from Kerala has competed in nine professional bouts, winning six of them, and was set to face Ali Qaisi from Jordan. But the injury forced Brave Combat Federation to find a suitable replacement for Muneer on short notice.

Nelson Paes has stepped in to replace Muneer, and will now face Qaisi. Paes has competed in two of the Middle East based regional promotions which Qaisi was a part of - Desert Force MMA and Phoenix Fighting Championship.

Paes will face Qaisi in the featherweight division at Brave 20.

Paes had made his promotional debut in Brave Combat Federation, which took place in Mumbai, India. At Brave 5: Go For Glory, he faced Rolando Dy from the Philippines in a bantamweight bout. The fight ended abruptly as both the competitors got injured in an attempt at a takedown.

The upcoming bout will be crucial for Paes, who has a professional record of 3-4-1 (with one no-contest). His opponent Qaisi has already stated that he is ready for the challenge, and will be not held back by the last-minute change of opponent.

In fact, Qaisi is returning after two successive wins at Phoenix Fighting Championship. The bout will be featured in the main card of the fight night.

Brave 20 will take place on 22nd December at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad. The event marks the first time a global mixed martial arts event is hosted in South India.

The fight card witnessed massive changes as new fights kept being added and fighters kept being replaced due to injuries. The most prominent of those was Leon Aliu, who has withdrawn a week before the fight night to be replaced by Khamzat Chimaev.