Kickboxing
GLORY 100: The Night That Will Change Kickboxing Forever - Full Event Preview
Watch GLORY 100 - Saturday on DAZN PPV - BUY Now
Few events promise as much action and high-stakes striking as GLORY 100, live on DAZN PPV this Saturday, June 14.
With a lineup featuring reigning champions, revenge-seeking contenders, and a heavyweight tournament that will test the mettle of every fighter, this event stands as the best in the history of the sport.
The June 14 main event sees the “King of Kickboxing” Rico Verhoeven defend his heavyweight crown against the formidable Artem Vakhitov, a clash of titans that headlines a card stacked with world title bouts.
From the rematch between Tarik Khbabez and Sergej Maslobojev to the anticipated showdown between Donovan Wisse and Michael Boapeah, every fight is loaded with history.
Add to that the featherweight fireworks between Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9 and Miguel Trindade, plus the ongoing quest to determine the Last Heavyweight Standing. Fans are guaranteed a night where legacies will be forged.
Rico Verhoeven vs. Artem Vakhitov - Heavyweight World Title
The main event of GLORY 100 is a high-stakes heavyweight showdown with the world title on the line. “King of Kickboxing” Rico Verhoeven will take on the former light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov.
The Dutch-born Verhoeven has held heavyweight kickboxing in an iron-grip for a decade, having captured the throne in 2014 and has gone unbeaten through twelve title defences.
Vakhitov is a talented fighter who will have a speed advantage coming into this bout. The former top-ranked pound-for-pound athlete had multiple title defences at light heavyweight, including defeating the future two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira.
The Muay Thai-based Vakhitov returned after a stint in MMA and will look to take the crown from the long-reigning king.
Tarik Khbabez vs. Sergej Maslobojev II - Light Heavyweight World Title
The co-main event of the June 14 event will see a rematch between Morocco’s “The Tank” Tarik Khbabez and Sergej Maslobojev of Lithuania.
These two met in 2022 in what became one of the best fights of the year. A five-round back-and-forth war. Combined, these two men threw a total of 705 strikes in their initial fight.
It was a split decision that saw Maslobojev capture the crown, and now Khbabez is looking to avenge this loss and keep his world title.
Donovan Wisse vs. Michael Boapeah II – Middleweight World Title
GLORY
The Ghanaian-Dutch Michael Boapeah has looked unstoppable in his last five bouts since he first lost to the middleweight world champion Donovan Wisse. The Surinamese Wisse has defended his crown successfully in five bouts, tying Pereira’s record and has a chance to surpass the Brazilian at GLORY 100.
Donovan Wisse and Michael Boapeah threw down in an all-time class match in 2023. Boapeah was the closest anyone has gotten to defeating the middleweight champion then, and will look to finish the job come June 14.
Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9 vs. Miguel Trindade - Featherweight World Title
Thailand’s Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9 has been on the trail to greatness. Having held titles across both RISE and GLORY, he is the top-ranked Pound-for-Pound striker on earth.
In addition to his eight title defences, he also just earned a one-night tournament title in RISE defeating three men in one night. In the finals, he met the Portuguese knockout artist Miguel Trindade and earned a decision victory.
Now, Trindade is coming to the Netherlands for revenge. Petch is a highly skilled fighter who flusters opponents with his speed and left kick.
The 24-year-old Trindade is a striker who has bricks in his hands as he will be entering this match with a knockout win rate of over seventy per cent. Five of his last six wins all came by way of KO/TKO. He was defeated by Petch last year in a one-night tournament, and now he is looking to stop the reigning champ.
Last Heavyweight Standing
At GLORY 99, a record-breaking 32 heavyweights initially met in the opening round of the Last Heavyweight Standing tournament. 16 remain, and only four will be left at the end of GLORY 100. Each man will need to fight twice on June 14 just to survive this grand prix.
Group 1 will see Asadulla Nasipov face off against Anis Bouzid. Plus, Iran’s Iraj Azizpour will use his smile and heavy hands against the knockout machine Ionuț Iancu.
In Group 2, the K-1 champion Miloš Cvjetićanin will face off against the quick Cem Cáceres, who packs a serious punch. Suriname’s Colin George will face the towering “Big Sexy” Nico Horta.
Group 3 will see fan-favorite Bahram Rajabzadeh face the experienced Asdren Gashi. With long legs and dangerous knees, Mory Kromah will have his hands full against Romania’s Alin Nechita.
Group 4 has “The Goliath” Jamal Ben Saddik, who is a very popular figure, face off against the talented southpaw Sofian Laidouni. Plus, “Cookie” Tariq Osaro will meet Luigj Gashi, of Albania. Tariq Osaro has perpetually been a top-ranked fighter in the heavyweight division.
As the fighters make their final preparations and the arena fills with anticipation, GLORY 100 is set to deliver unforgettable moments that will reverberate in the world of combat sports.
Whether it’s the crowning of new champions, the redemption of past defeats, or the emergence of fresh faces in the heavyweight ranks, June 14 promises to be a night where every punch, kick, and knockout carries the weight of history.
Watch GLORY 100 live on Saturday on DAZN PPV. For more information and to buy now, click here.
