As the son of a professional mixed martial artist, Gabriel Braga was born to fight.
Braga’s combat sports upbringing once again has him on the verge of a life-altering payday, as he will meets Timur Khizriev in the Professional Fighters League featherweight semifinals this Friday at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. The winner moves on to compete for $1 million in the 145-pound championship later this year. Braga’s outlook does not change, no matter the stakes.
“I believe that every fight is an important moment,” he said. “I clearly remember each one of them. There are still many yet to happen, but I believe I will remember them all. Each fight has a different emotion. It’s great.”
Khizriev, on paper, looks to be Braga’s most difficult challenge to date. The 28-year-old Russian sports a perfect 16-0 record and enters the cage on the heels of back-to-back regular-season victories over former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder Brett Johns and “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” Season 2 winner Enrique Barzola.
“Every fighter has flaws,” Braga said. “No one is perfect. His fight record doesn’t mean anything. What matters is what he shows me inside the cage. I’ll be ready for everything. I’m ready to fight standing. I’m ready for his anti-game, if he chooses to grapple. I’ll be very well prepared to walk away with another victory.”
Braga was a featherweight finalist in 2023, when he was favored to beat Jesus Pinedo for the championship. Instead, the Peruvian upstart sprang the upset with a third-round technical knockout. The setback was the first of Braga’s career but only served to fan his competitive flames. He has since posted consecutive finishes against Justin Gonzales and Bubba Jenkins.
“I see myself as having a bright future,” he said. “That’s how I’ve always seen myself. Since I started to dedicate my life to fighting, I already thought of being the best, changing my life and giving a better life to my family.”
Fuel can be found in many areas of Braga’s life, including in the father who introduced him to fighting. Diego Braga Alves died at the age of 44 in January. He was purportedly killed in Rio de Janeiro by members of the criminal organization Comando Vermelho when he was mistaken for a member of a rival militia. Alves was the head coach of the Tropa Thai team that his son still represents.
“My inspiration comes from whatever happens in my life, whether good or bad,” Braga said. “I believe that the bad motivates me even more. Every person has problems. There are some who can transform them into motivation, and there are others who let themselves be swept away. I can transform all my problems into my motivation and keep moving forward.”