Interim champion Lucas Martins, Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady meet for undisputed lightweight title in Brave 18 main event

Brave Combat Federation will crown a new undisputed lightweight king on Nov. 16, when interim champion Lucas Martins battles Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady in the main event of Brave 18 in Bahrain, promotion officials told MMA Fighting.

Martins (20-3) won the interim belt in dramatic fashion back in April, when Luan Santiago injured his arm with four seconds left in the fifth round. “Mineiro” was behind the scorecards and would lose the title bout if it went the distance.

Martins is 4-0 since leaving the UFC in 2016. The Brazilian lightweight, who went 4-3 competing in three weight classes inside the Octagon, was let go by the UFC after a win over Robert Whiteford.

Al-Selwady (9-1), a former champion in Desert Force, earned a shot at the 155-pound belt after winning four straight under the Brave banner, including three stoppage victories.

Ottman Azaitar, who held the lightweight linear belt since November of 2017, was recently stripped of his title and parted ways with the promotion.

Brave 18 takes place at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Manama, Bahrain, and features three title bouts. Stephen Loman puts the bantamweight title on the line against Felipe Efrain in the co-main event, Combate first reported, and Marcel Adur takes on Velimurad Alkhasov for the inaugural belt at flyweight.