GLORY Returns to Rotterdam with Eight-Man Heavyweight Tournament

[Broadcast]

By Shar Williams

GLORY, the pinnacle of kickboxing in the U.S. and abroad, has steamrolled through 2018 with exciting events all over the globe, but the ride isn’t over yet.

Already announced by the promotion is its next stop in New York on Nov. 2, which will feature the rematch between women’s super bantamweight champion Jady Menezes and the women she defeated to capture the belt, Anissa Meksen. The card also hosts a main event rematch between Josh Jauncey and lightweight champion Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong. Finally, two rising stars, featherweights Massaro Glunder of Mike’s Gym and Kevin Vannostrand, make the card a triple threat in their SuperFight Series headliner.

Today, during the card in Lyon, France, the promotion revealed the plan for its end-of-year showcase. The organization will close out the year on Dec. 8 in Rotterdam with an eight-man heavyweight tournament. The field will include numerous former title challengers and tournament winners, with Romania’s Benjamin Adegbuyi earning the No. 1 seed and Morocco’s Jamal Ben Saddik claiming the No. 2 seed on the opposite of the bracket. Also announced as participants were veteran Jahfarr Wilnis and recent title challenger Guto Inocente. The additional tournament participants, as well as the tournament match-ups, will be announced by the promotion in the coming weeks.

http://combatpress.com

 

[DastardlyMass]

They really need to get rico in this as no one can claim to be the king of kickboxing when they have never won a decent 8man tournament

 

[Tayski]

They really need to get rico in this as no one can claim to be the king of kickboxing when they have never won a decent 8man tournament

It would be great but somehow I have a feeling they won't.

Ideally the other 4 should be Rico, Badr and a couple Eastern European bums.

 

[Snubnoze707]

I think they are probably gonna protect Rico here and have the winner face him for the title. Pretty lame considering its already a pretty easy road to get a fight with him, just be a HW and raise your hand, so why make them go through this?

Rico has to be a part of this if he wants to enhance his legacy. We all know in a one off fight he beats all of these guys but let's see if he can win a real deal WGP.

Roel Mannaart should be in this as well.

 

[null]

I always think it's a little awkward to have a champion who won and defended his belt in a lineal matchmaking fashion participate in a tournament where the belt is not on the line because what happens if he loses? It makes the belt seem worth less, if not worthless.

Of course they can always put the belt on the line all along the way and make each fight with all the participants a five rounder which is what Bellator is doing with their non-one night welterweight Grand Prix since champion Rory MacDonald is part of it and it will stretch out for months.

Doesn't quite make sense to do that with a one-night tournament though, unless they strip the champion and say the belt is vacant and whoever wins the tournament is the new champion. Can't see them doing that to Rico though.

 

[Broadcast]

I think they are probably gonna protect Rico here and have the winner face him for the title. Pretty lame considering its already a pretty easy road to get a fight with him, just be a HW and raise your hand, so why make them go through this?

Rico has to be a part of this if he wants to enhance his legacy. We all know in a one off fight he beats all of these guys but let's see if he can win a real deal WGP.

Roel Mannaart should be in this as well.

They also protect Ben Saddik and Wilnis big, or are giving them a lot of chances. The matchmaking is Dutch! AND ADEGBUYI, who earned his chance by winning fucking 2 contender tournaments, will probably crack at some moment. Losing the 2nd place in the world and even the title chance. Because Hermmers does what he wants.

Really shame on this, Glory!

If I would be Adegbuyi, I would enter the tournament but just if I have a title shot assured.

 

[Broadcast]

Rico"s legacy is anyway false, he lost twice against Daniel Ghita. And maybe Hari faked the injury. In the case of Saki fight, Saki got unlucky.

 

[Shadess]

hahah

 

[Mafanofe]

Agreed that rico haves to be in the tournament, a 29yo HW on his peak, wouldnt be exciting to finally see an amazing 8 man tournament that the prize would only be a title shot (that much probably the winner would already loss to Rico before)

Tournaments have to be something special, the best man of the org haves to be in it.

 

[Mafanofe]

Anyone noticed that Glory is giving up from 4-man contender tournaments, since glory 54 they are only making Qualification tournaments (with hometown guys)

they are reading us guys, its almost sure, we are trashing on pointless 4-man contender tournaments since last year with solid arguments and pointing the wish on having back the 8-16 man tournaments that are the epitome on excitement on kickboxing for numerous reasons.

they are reading us

 

[VinceF]

I like this

Would love it if they added Rico and Badr.
The winner from Tafa vs Morosanu should be added as well.

Maybe londt because its in Rotterdam but he was kinda out of it huis last 2 fights. Mannaart looked good in his last fight, wouldnt mind him joining

 

[Snubnoze707]

Junior Tafa and Tomas Mozny just anounced. Get pumped!

If Rico doesn't join that hurts his image IMO.

 

[Bang Rachan]

Rico"s legacy is anyway false, he lost twice against Daniel Ghita. And maybe Hari faked the injury. In the case of Saki fight, Saki got unlucky.

Saki was robbed. It wasn't a knockdown

 

[null]

It's pretty clear that the winner of this tournament will likely get a title shot at Rico. Everyone asking for Rico, the champion, to be in the tournament- which does not seem to be what they are doing- needs to explain what they should, in your opinion, do with the belt if Rico did enter the tournament.

1- The belt not being on the line and risk devaluing the belt if Rico loses in the tournament?
2- Put the belt on the line from the quarter-finals onward and let it change hands multiple times in one night to the eventual winner of the tournament?
3- Strip the belt from Rico and let the tournament determine the new beltholder in addition to winning whatever trophy they hand out?

I'm sure it's not happening anyway, but you see the problems with all three options, right?

 

[Chivas GDL]

Josh Jauncey has nothing for Sittichai

 

[DastardlyMass]

It's pretty clear that the winner of this tournament will likely get a title shot at Rico. Everyone asking for Rico, the champion, to be in the tournament- which does not seem to be what they are doing- needs to explain what they should, in your opinion, do with the belt if Rico did enter the tournament.

1- The belt not being on the line and risk devaluing the belt if Rico loses in the tournament?
2- Put the belt on the line from the quarter-finals onward and let it change hands multiple times in one night to the eventual winner of the tournament?
3- Strip the belt from Rico and let the tournament determine the new beltholder in addition to winning whatever trophy they hand out?

I'm sure it's not happening anyway, but you see the problems with all three options, right?

dude you really show you limited knowledge of kickboxing!

The tournament belt is separate and the regular weight class title is not defended in a one night 8 man tournament traditionally but you could if you wanted. Basically if rico does not win the tournament the winner gets first title shot and if another fighter beat rico but did not the the tournament they are next in line. It does not devalue the title as long as he faces the tournament winner in a decent timeframe

 

[Blazeblack]

dude you really show you limited knowledge of kickboxing!

The tournament belt is separate and the regular weight class title is not defended in a one night 8 man tournament traditionally but you could if you wanted. Basically if rico does not win the tournament the winner gets first title shot and if another fighter beat rico but did not the the tournament they are next in line. It does not devalue the title as long as he faces the tournament winner in a decent timeframe

Yeah man that’s how it should be.

 

[null]

dude you really show you limited knowledge of kickboxing!

The tournament belt is separate and the regular weight class title is not defended in a one night 8 man tournament traditionally but you could if you wanted. Basically if rico does not win the tournament the winner gets first title shot and if another fighter beat rico but did not the the tournament they are next in line. It does not devalue the title as long as he faces the tournament winner in a decent timeframe

My limited knowledge has won me more than five figures in dollars on kickboxing wagers in the last few years so somehow I'll find a way to live with myself, lol. I think you're fooling yourself if you think the champion losing in a tournament doesn't devalue the championship belt he holds, especially in a case where he loses to a tournament participant who doesn't even win the one-night tourney itself. That leaves arguably two opponents that ought to be ranked ahead of him until they can meet up afterwards and resolve that. In any case, the potential problems I pointed out are probably the reason why Rico won't be participating, so it's all academic anyway. It's simply less risky to Rico's brand if he just faces the winner. Would be cool if he did enter the tournament, but I'm not holding my breath to see it.

 

[onne1983]

Rico"s legacy is anyway false, he lost twice against Daniel Ghita. And maybe Hari faked the injury. In the case of Saki fight, Saki got unlucky.

It's posts like this that make you lose all your credibility my friend! If Hari faked the injury he did it because he wanted out of the fight. if he did got injured, he got injured. doesnt matter, in both cases, Rico won. Just like Rico won against Ghita twice. It was close, you could have it judged for Ghita, but you have to admit that you are biased like a SuperKombat ringside Judge. But Ghita was NOT robbed. So stop the slandering.

 

[Broadcast]

It's posts like this that make you lose all your credibility my friend! If Hari faked the injury he did it because he wanted out of the fight. if he did got injured, he got injured. doesnt matter, in both cases, Rico won. Just like Rico won against Ghita twice. It was close, you could have it judged for Ghita, but you have to admit that you are biased like a SuperKombat ringside Judge. But Ghita was NOT robbed. So stop the slandering.

Superkombat for the past 3 years had better judge decision than Glory. Moreover I think you haven"t watched the promotion anymore. Typical Dutch from you, rudness, plus please watch against Ghita vs. Verhoeven both fights. Do that for me! And come back here and tell me who won. But watch it from a neutral angle, not from Rico"s angle.

I watched these two fights several times and Ghita won them both. In fact, he humiliated Rico in the 2nd.