The pair went back and forth in a breathless three-round war, with the opening round seeing the two rivals engaging in a relentless stand-up battle that almost ended with Pidroni claiming a knockout in the closing seconds, with a huge head-kick dropping Kuninic right at the bell.
Kucinic was ready to bounce back in Round 2, however, and in the second and third rounds, she put on a superb display to get herself back into the contest as their strawweight war went all the way to the judges’ scorecards.
In the end, it was Kuncinic whose hand was raised after the judges returned a split decision, but both women proved that they belong on the big stage with BRAVE CF and the pair shared a respectful embrace at the end of the bout.
Their performances won over the fans at the arena, as well as BRAVE CF president Mohammed Shahid and WFC president Zlatko Mahic, who were awarded bonuses in the cage after their battle. Usually bonuses are awarded at the end of the night, but such was the impact of their bout, the two promotional heads decided to share the news with the crowd in the arena.
Kucinic’s win continues her rise up the strawweight division with her third win under the BRAVE CF banner, and her second in 2024, while Pidroni showed that, despite her defeat, she’s going to be a real factor in the promotion’s 115-pound division after making a huge impression on her BRAVE CF debut.
