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| (Image Source: Combat Press/GLORY Kickboxing) |
Following on from the success of the incredible GLORY x RISE Featherweight Grand Prix this past December, the two leading kickboxing promotions have teamed up once again to officially launch the ‘GLORY x RISE: Last Featherweight Standing’ tournament, dubbed ‘The Baddest Tournament on Earth’. Kicking off this summer, twelve of GLORY’s top featherweights along with twelve of the best from RISE will compete over the course of six unmissable events starting on June 21, 2025 at the Yokohama Buntai in Japan to determine who will be the Last Featherweight Standing.
Over the course of the six events, the field of twenty-four will come down to a four-man one-night tournament finale to crown the last featherweight standing. The best field of 145 lb stand-up martial artists on the planet today compete in GLORY and Rise and this tournament will be one of the most competitive tournaments in the history of combat sports. During a press conference held in Japan, the first matchups for June 21 were confirmed on the GLORY side of the bracket. Exciting Moroccan Ayoub Bourrass (15-2, 4 KO) takes on Spain’s Aitor Currito (27-7-1, 13 KO) and France’s Bobo Sacko (77-6-1, 30 KO) clashes with Andre Santos (23-2, 10 KO) in an explosive affair. “We are looking forward to partnering with GLORY as we did last year. The Last Featherweight Standing tournament is the best of the best in the world gathered together to determine the best on the planet. I am very excited,” said RISE CEO Takashi Ito. “As we saw in December, the featherweight division is one of the most exciting divisions in kickboxing. RISE have been tremendous partners, and I am thrilled to extend our cooperation for the Last Featherweight Standing tournament. Together we will put on can’t miss events where the featherweight division will be on display,” said GLORY CEO Marshall Zelaznik.
This tournament comes off the heels of GLORY announcing the Last Heavyweight Standing, a multi-event tournament series starting with thirty-two heavyweights on April 5 at ‘GLORY 99: Last Heavyweight Standing’ at the Rotterdam Ahoy and culminating in a huge end of year eight-man one-night tournament. Speaking of GLORY 99. a completely random draw was held recently in Amsterdam to decide the opening round of matchups. Among the most notable fights of the opening round are the following: ‘The Goliath’ Jamal Ben Saddik (36-9, 29 KO) collides with ‘The Gladiator’ Christian Ristea (44-25, 13 KO), top five in the world ranked Rade Opačić (21-6, 16 KO) faces a tough challenge in Nico ‘Big Sexy’ Horta (23-10, 3 KO), Nabil Khachab (29-5-1, 4 KO) meets Miloš Cvjetićanin (11-3, 8 KO) in a battle between size versus agility, Dutch veteran Brian Douwes (42-26-1, 31 KO) takes on the wild & unpredictable Bahram Rajabzadeh (70-4, 61 KO), and former interim champ Tariq Osaro (26-4-1, 13 KO) goes up against ‘Mr. Tournament’ himself Benjamin Adegbuyi (35-8, 20 KO). Winners from each bout will qualify for the next stage of the Last Heavyweight Standing tournament – four separate four-man one-night tournaments, which will take place over the summer.
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| (Image Source: Bloody Elbow/GLORY Kickboxing) |
GLORY 99: Last Heavyweight Standing Fight Card
• Jamal Ben Saddik (36-9, 29 KO) vs. Christian Ristea (44-25, 13 KO)
• Brian Douwes (42-26-1, 31 KO) vs. Bahram Rajabzadeh (70-4, 61 KO)
• Tariq Osaro (26-4-1, 13 KO) vs. Benjamin Adegbuyi (35-8, 20 KO)
• Rade Opačić (21-6, 16 KO) vs. Nico Horta (23-10, 3 KO)
• Nabil Khachab (29-5-1, 4 KO) vs. Miloš Cvjetićanin (11-3, 8 KO)
• Sofian Laïdouni (37-4-1, 18 KO) vs. Oleh Pryimachov (16-5, 5 KO)
• Asadulla Nasipov (10-1, 5 KO) vs. Murat Aygün (32-4, 8 KO)
• Nicolas Wamba (75-7, 24 KO) vs. Mory Kromah (31-3-1, 18 KO)
• Sina Karimian (16-4, 8 KO) vs. Tomáš Možný (21-10, 7 KO)
• Alin Nechita (16-1, 7 KO) vs. Ahmed Krnjić (14-3-1, 4 KO)
• Ionut Iancu (30-10, 12 KO) vs. Cihad Kepenek (23-7, 16 KO)
Preliminary Card
• Yuri Farcas (13-3-1, 6 KO) vs. Iraj Azizipour (69-7, 27 KO)
• Asdren Gashi (18-4-1, 9 KO) vs. Nidal Bchiri (19-4-1, 4 KO)
• Miroslav Vujovic (11-7, 8 KO) vs. Colin George (23-12, 21 KO)
• Nathan Cook (7-2, 6 KO) vs. Anis Bouzid (45-4, 36 KO)
• Petr Romankevich (29-9, 10 KO) vs. Luigi Gashi (15-4, 4 KO)
