Top 10 nicknames at Brave 19 in South Africa
From ‘The’ to ‘Pickaxe’ the best names at Brave 19 in South Africa. Paul Ronge’s friends really do call him Pickaxe, too, and it fits.
Brave 19 in Sun City, South Africa recently concluded with stellar finishes, KOs, and decisions, and a lot of tremendous nicknames.
This is an utterly arbitrary top 10, with appreciation and respect for all.
10. PICKAXE • Paul Ronge (pronounced sort of like “wrong – eh”)
Lots of fighters have tough nicknames, like Wanderlei Silva is called ‘The Axe Murder’. But no one says, “Hey Axe Murderer, you want some Acai?” Ronge’s friends really do call him Pickaxe. And it fits. This could be in the top 3, too – list is arbitrary, as noted.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrGZTgBh83U/
9. THE LION • Dino Bagattin
A number of fighters have Lion in their nickname, but it’s way cooler when the fighter is from Africa. For example, Ryan ‘The Lion’ Schultz is from Gresham, Oregon, so for authenticity, it should be Ryan ‘The Hairy Beaver’ Schultz.
8. THE RUSSIAN • Dimitri Fogg
South Africans are ridiculously tough. Russians are ridiculously tough. A Russian-South Africa is, well, he’s no cheese-eating surrender monkey from France 😉
7. FRANKENSTEIN • Mark Hulme
Frankenstein was a monster made out of cut up body parts. In reality, it’s Hulme that cuts people up, bad. I had the honor of calling his fight Saturday night, which put me in the SPLASH ZONE of his handiwork, or more accurately elbowiwork.
6. THE FUTURE • Nkosi Ndebele
Nkosi means “king” so it’s King Future, which I believe he is. And he beat badass Ahmed ‘The Prince’ Faress. So King > Prince.
5. BOMBER • Carl Booth
If there was a top 10 for scary fists, Bomber’s are #1 – they are human bombs, like Brock Lesnar + Danny Rand (the cool comic Iron Fist, not the guy on tv who would lose a fight with a ring card girl).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXTNLuBF_tm/
4. THE BLACK MAMBA • Frans Mlambo
In a homecoming, Mlambo roared back from an 0-2 run in terrific style in front of a rapturous crowd at Sun City; and the Black Mamba (Dendroaspis Polylepis) accounts for the most human fatalities on the African continent, so the name is brilliant.
3. BUDDHA • Dansheel Moodley
Buddah got a call at 3:00 am and was asked if he could get his medicals done and make weight at 9, two divisions up, vs. a former amateur world champion and sparring partner of Conor McGregor’s. Buddah is for many a word for peace and love, but in Moodley’s case, it’s peace, love, and sheer, utter, and total badassery.
2. ABBA • Abdul Hussein
The youngest ever IMMAF World and European champion, has roots in Palestine, was born in a refugee camp in Lebanon, and moved to Finland in his youth, where he is currently fulfilling his military duties, and fighting pro, and making Money, Money, Money when The Winner Takes it All.
1. THE • David Bear
When your last name is as cool as Bear, all you need for a badass ring name is “The”.
The next event is Brave 20 in Hyderabad, India, on December 22.