Brave CF's Monika Kucinic reveals shocking conditions that led her to leave former coach - "I felt like a prisoner" (Exclusive)

Monika Kucinic is scheduled to open the main card of BRAVE CF 81 against Sofiia Bagishvili, as she chases a monumental win for her career on April 20, in her home country of Slovenia. However, nothing will top what she accomplished in the last few weeks.

Kucinic is coming off the biggest victory of her entire life outside of the MMA cage, as she has left an abusive and manipulative coach behind to regain control of her career and life.

Monika Kucinic has revealed abusive treatment by ex-coach [Image credits: Brave CF]

She revealed exclusively to SportsKeeda MMA that she felt "like a prisoner" under her former coach, and that his manipulative ways had led her to lose years of her career.

"A lot of people don’t know this, but I have been in a fight for freedom in the last few weeks. My former coach’s obsessive behavior towards me not only scarred me but also took years off my career. He controlled everything I did, from the food I ate to the clothes I wore.

"It came to a point where I lost many opportunities to train with a lot of talented people because he also controlled all of my training and didn’t give me any say in anything. He was manipulative and it took me a long time to understand that he had his own best interests in mind, not mine. I felt like a prisoner for so many years."

Kucinic added that the offer to fight at BRAVE CF’s return event in Slovenia has possibly saved her life – it has definitely saved her career.

BRAVE CF 81 is hosted in association with the leading regional promotion WFC and WFC president Zlatko Mahic has been an instrumental figure in helping Monika Kucinic.

"This event is a significant part of my journey, because being called to fight on this show has helped me get out of the situation I was in. I saw an opportunity to get out and I did.

"I am grateful to Zlatko Mahic for all of his help in taking care of me, and everyone involved, from BRAVE CF to the Slovenian Federation."

After taking the initiative to leave that abusive environment, Monika Kucinic has been training at Double B Gym, widely considered the top team in Slovenia, with new teammates David Forster, Haris Aksalic, and Domen Drnovsek.

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Monika Kucinic talks new training regime

The four fighters will represent the country at BRAVE CF 81, and Monika Kucinic couldn’t be happier with the quality of her current training set-up. She is specifically thankful to Ervin Hadic, who sharpens her kickboxing skills every morning before practice even starts.

"Since I spoke to WFC and BRAVE CF, things have changed so much. For the first time in my career, I am training in a totally professional manner, with quality sparring partners and coaches and I also want to thank Double B Gym for taking me in when I needed the most."

Kucinic knows that sharing her story will lead to many questions and calls for further details to be shared. Her focus, however, remains on the biggest prize: a win on April 20 and BRAVE CF gold down the line.

Monika Kucinic added that she will share more when the time’s right, but felt the need to start that conversation to help bring focus to a problem that might not be as uncommon as people think within the combat sports world.

"I want to be focused on my fight with Sofiia. For now, all that matters is winning on April 20 and then going to fight for the title eventually. I will be in a better position to share more after my fight, but getting that win at BRAVE CF 81 is my number one priority right now.

"I just needed to say something, because I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through. I was trapped and felt like a prisoner, but I am regaining power over my own life and my own career. I will make my own destiny and show the world who I am. This is not just for me, this is for all women in combat sports."