GLORY 85 will be live from Rotterdham Ahoy on April 29th 2023, it will feature the four-man heavyweight tournament that will decide who steps-on to face Antonio Plazibat for the interim-GLORY heavyweight title this summer.
If that wasn’t enough, the man who has his hand raised at the end will also book a spot in the GLORY Heavyweight Grand Prix, set in December for a chance to win a cool $500,000.
Preview
The four participants are: two-time tournament finalist Jahfarr Wilnis (33-13-1, 8 KO), former top light heavyweight contender Luis Tavares (63-8, 21 KO), Nigerian giant Tariq ‘Cookie’ Osaro (22-2-1), and ‘The Iron Bull’ Enver Sljivar (40-6, 23 KO).
A kickboxing legend will also make his return on April 29 as former two-time GLORY champion Murthel Groenhart (69-25-3, 40 KO) challenges current welterweight champion Endy Semeleer (33-1, 17 KO) for the title.
Groenhart left the sport at the beginning of 2021 and during the time since, Semeleer burst into promotion to capture the vacant GLORY welterweight title.
However, the 36-year-old did not lay idle during the past two years as he enjoyed an undefeated run in MMA.
With new skills and a regained passion for kickboxing, Groenhart is back and aiming to recapture the title.
Also on the card, GLORY veteran Michael ‘Dreamcrusher’ Duut (44-13, 21 KO) is aiming to destroy the debut dreams of newcomer Mohamed Amine (28-4, 16 KO) and popular prospect Berjan Peposhi (27-2, 16 KO) welcomes rising Dutch fighter Jan Kaffa (18-3, 7 KO) into the promotion.
In the prelims, Morocco’s Iliass Hammouche (38-32, 7 KO) and Cameroon’s Brice Kombou (17-3, 1 KO) make their GLORY debuts.
Former ONE title contender Murat Aygün (35-33, 8 KO) clashes with two-time WAKO world champ Nikola Filipovic (11-9, 6 KO) in a reserve bout for the heavyweight tournament.
GLORY 85 will be available to watch live on Videoland in the Netherlands, GLORYFights.com around the world, and various broadcast partners globally.
GLORY 85 Fight Card
Main Event
Heavyweight Tournament Final
Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2
Co-Main Event
GLORY Welterweight Championship
Champion Endy Semeleer (33-1, 17 KO) vs. Murthel Groenhart (69-25-3, 40 KO)
Light Heavyweight
Michael Duut (44-13, 21 KO) vs. Mohamed Amine (28-4, 16 KO)
Featherweight
Berjan Peposhi (27-2, 16 KO) vs. Jan Kaffa (18-3, 7 KO)
Heavyweight Tournament Semi-Final 2
Jahfarr Wilnis (33-13-1, 8 KO) vs. Tariq ‘Cookie’ Osaro (22-2-1)
Heavyweight Tournament Semi-Final 1
Luis Tavares (63-8, 21 KO) vs. Enver Sljivar (40-6, 23 KO)
– Preliminary Card –
Heavyweight
Murat Aygün (33-2, 8 KO) vs. Nikola Filipovic (11-9, 6 KO)
Middleweight
Iliass Hammouche (38-32, 7 KO) vs. Brice Kombou (17-3, 1 KO)
Image Credit GLORY Kickboxing
