Borislav Nikolic Leaves BRAVE CF to Join UFC After Dominant Bantamweight Reign

Serbian mixed martial artist Borislav "Zombee" Nikolic has relinquished his BRAVE Combat Federation bantamweight world title to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, concluding a tenure that established him as one of the promotion's premier competitors. The 33-year-old fighter, born in Vršac near the Romanian border, completed his final appearance under the BRAVE CF banner in February at BRAVE CF 104, where he defeated Matheus Malta in a 64-kilogram catchweight contest.

Championship Legacy at BRAVE CF

Nikolic joined BRAVE Combat Federation in 2021 and compiled a record of six victories across eight appearances with the promotion. His defining achievement came at BRAVE CF 96 in June 2025, when he submitted Nicholas "The Saint" Hwende with a fourth-round ninja choke to capture the bantamweight championship. He cemented his dominance five months later by successfully defending the crown in the main event of BRAVE CF 100, stopping Hamza "The Pride of Bahrain" Kooheji via fourth-round technical knockout.

At five foot nine with a 69-inch reach, Nikolic built a professional record of 16 wins and 2 losses across his career. Seven of his victories came via knockout, while eight were submissions. He has never been finished by strikes. His nickname, "Zombee," originated from a commentator's remark during a broadcast and became synonymous with his fighting style—walking forward with minimal expression while delivering consistent striking.

Path to Professional Fighting

Nikolic's journey to elite MMA competition began unconventionally. He spent eleven years as a holding midfielder in youth soccer before transitioning to combat sports. His amateur mixed martial arts record reached 10-0 before turning professional, competing out of Titan Fight Team in his hometown. He later trained at MMA Tim CDS in Belgrade, the oldest MMA team in Serbia, and spent time at the Renzo Gracie Secutor academy. His only two professional losses came against Brad Katona via guillotine choke at BRAVE CF 50 in April 2021 and Gamzat Magomedov via unanimous decision in August 2022.

BRAVE Combat Federation president Mohammed Shahid released a statement congratulating Nikolic on his UFC opportunity. "Borislav's story is one that everyone at BRAVE Combat Federation is immensely proud of," Shahid said. "He embraced every challenge, became a world champion, and represented our promotion with honour throughout his time here." The promotion announced it would always consider Nikolic part of its organization despite his departure.