Media I went to GLORY 81 and had a blast

[BoxerMaurits]

Last weekend I went to GLORY 81 in Düsseldorf, Germany. The event was headlined by Jamal Ben Saddik vs Benjamin Adegbuyi (a rematch of their 2018 tournament-final fight).

The winner of that fight was going fight for the interim heavyweight title vs Antonio Plazibat at Glory Collision 4: Badr Hari vs Alistair Overeem. Jamal KTFO Benny, so now he will fight for heavyweight gold (actually silver, Glory uses a silver color for their interim belts, imo it would be cool if UFC does the same) against Plazibat on October 8.

Having said that, I’ve had a great night of fights!
Every fight delivered big time, lots of bangers and quality fights except maybe for the co-main (that one was a technical showdown/domination of Glory middleweight champion Donovan Wisse defending his title. Didn’t annoy me either but wasn’t quite the banger other fights were)

I will show you guys some of the action/my experiences that night


My seats were great with perfect view at the ring:




I filmed the full (as long as it lasted<45>) Jamal Ben Saddik - Benjamin Adegbuyi fight with perfect view, will post the iCloud-link to it below.
Don’t mind my screaming, I was rooting pretty damn hard for Jamal

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0ccJTlmKOlOGLR8HXQ8PmMvIA

Here is Jamal’s walkout.
Note Big Mike Passenier (Jamal’s trainer, legendary kickboxing coach and owner of Mike’s Gym in Amsterdam) his signature sponge throw to wet Jamal.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/021NdXUjTEe2QkFn_kY3a_ocQ

His post-fight interview:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0dcm6HKQ3oSCA9yENc8isdAqQ

And Jamal’s reception from the fans, beautiful to see:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/062puR8AcCWlc1Ih3neu8JdXg

Here is the introduction of the main event by Tim Hughes:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/052mLFRJF_Zrn5FYVkbsys7FQ

And his introduction of the event earlier that night:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/07fByf-FYG3Tc5PGfmuG026fQ


I filmed some more action from the fights..

Ahmad Chikh Mousa knocked out Rafik Habiat with a brutal left hook:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0d50GHg9LXt0laMM69JJytrLA

Cihad Kepenek knocked out Nordine Mahieddine with some sneaky heavyweight power in his check left hook:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/05cPfqLCiV1gmBBZtAnabJxug

Michael Boapeah knocked down Florian Kröger with a beautiful right highkick:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/02coZ5xtDA0T79sfsRJJm_9Cw

An all-out lightweight war between Big Mike protégé Stoyan Koprivlenski and Guerric Billet for a shot at lightweight champ Tyjani Beztati at Glory Collision 4: Badr Hari vs Alistair Overeem.
Stoyan won, so now he’ll face Tyjani Beztati for the GLORY LW-title on October 8:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b8pbKyqp_nZHlYVzg0psIW6w

https://share.icloud.com/photos/067FUrd56DVpimBEHggJ_PVEg

Fun story: GLORY collaborates with Japanese kickboxing organization RISE.
During this event, RISE featherweight champion Naoki Tanaka took on (quite unknown) German fighter Dennis Wosik (who made his Glory debut).
The RISE champion got absolutely destroyed by the Glory debutant <45>(though he showed great heart, I give him that)
Watch his walkout with the RISE-belt:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/01eGrWtRO87DjxJBd7VfXg4cQ


UFC middleweight title-challenger Alex “Poatan” Pereira was also in attendance to watch some kickboxing:



I spotted him bulking up for his fight against Izzy, eating some fries and a delicious German currywurst :



I tried to make a photo with Alex, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to get to him. At the end of the event I headed to the fighters exit to make a photo, but I couldn’t really get his attention for the photo because he was just walking out..
So, not a proper one, but here it is<45>:



This is the closest/best picture I’ve made of Pereira:



Moments after this I was able to make a photo with Joseph Valtellini, better known as “Bazooka Joe”.
He’s a former Glory Kickboxing welterweight champion and the first inductee in GLORY’s hall of fame. He currently works as a commentator for the promotion:



And with Glory commentator Todd Grisham (who’s also a commentator for DAZN boxing and previously commentated for UFC aswell):



Alex was also brought into the ring to hand over the Glory MW-strap to Donovan Wisse (who just got his first title defence in after the Poatan reign):



https://share.icloud.com/photos/078Xh1peinDVK70YolvcZbnDA

Midway the event Pereira got interviewed aswell.
They asked him about his next fight against Izzy, his last fight against Strickland, the way he represents GLORY in UFC, and other things:

https://share.icloud.com/photos/07cxfE8Vh_pRIP3Maz3r3e3zQ

Glad to see Pereira staying in touch with Glory!


I also got to make a photo with Glory heavyweights Tarik Khbabez and Muhammed Balli

Tarik Khbabez:



Muhammed Balli:

 

[BoxerMaurits]

I’m sure Pereira had a great night like me together with his coach Plinio Cruz, amongst Glory fighters like LW-champ Tyjani Beztati, Tarik Khbabez, Muhammed Balli and Serkan Özçağlayan.




Btw not event related, but last year at GLORY 78: Badr Hari vs Arek Wrzosek, I took a photo with Jamal Ben Saddik and Big Mike Passenier, and with Arek Wrzosek. Felt like it’s worth a share









Next weekend I’ll be at UFC Paris with my dad.
This photo is from the Joshua - Usyk boxing event last year.
Try to remember these guys, maybe you’ll see them on your television screen


https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c0Gno4K7kJ_izy2865kQOPXA

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Also, there was a giveaway from Jamal Ben Saddik and JAKO (his sponsor).
A few hundred people participated in this giveaway, but I was the lucky guy and won a Jamal Ben Saddik x JAKO tracksuit, signed by JBS himself

 

[Credo]

Bro, you are a Sherdog legend by now.

 

[ifindgifsforjackslack]

This is what happens when we don’t roast people hard enough for posting pics of themselves… they post more

 

[Okajima]

Mandatory fist pic nicely done.

 

[StonedLemur]

Dude this is your space from now on every time you go to a show.

Awesome write up, fantastic pictures and your joy is fuckin infectious...loving it sir.

You need that Sherdog tshirt though lol.


PS, that pic of Valtellini is badass

 

[BonyAcaiNogueiraBrothers]

You're no UberTS but you're the best we got.

 

[SuperLuigi]

You're no UberTS but you're the best we got.

In fairness TS seems to be about 6'4 even if he isnt as TST as UberTS.

Maurits do you train at all? With your frame you would be a heavyweight and wouldnt have to be that skilled to be one of the best in the world. Plenty of guys on the glory HW roster with very average records.

 

[JonnyboyATL]

Muhammed Balli:

View attachment 940384

Looks like Belal Muhammad and he stole his name ahahaha

 

[TARTARA]

Excellent !

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Dude this is your space from now on every time you go to a show.

Awesome write up, fantastic pictures and your joy is fuckin infectious...loving it sir.

You need that Sherdog tshirt though lol.


PS, that pic of Valtellini is badass

Thanks sir.
Yeah that Sherdog shirt is a must, I need to get one

 

[BoxerMaurits]

In fairness TS seems to be about 6'4 even if he isnt as TST as UberTS.

Maurits do you train at all? With your frame you would be a heavyweight and wouldnt have to be that skilled to be one of the best in the world. Plenty of guys on the glory HW roster with very average records.

Yes, I train boxing. I don’t lift weights if that’s what you meant.
But yeah, I probably would dethrone Rico Verhoeven without breaking a sweat if I gave it a try
If I have to believe Alistair Overeem I have great hooks, especially my lead hook (I assume you guys on here also know about me training with Reem? If not, here it is: https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/i-just-met-alistair-overeem.4239799/ )

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Excellent !

Nice work man. Pereira looks so friendly in here

 

[StonedLemur]

Thanks sir.
Yeah that Sherdog shirt is a must, I need to get one

10 out of 10 again sir.

 

[TARTARA]

Nice work man. Pereira looks so friendly in here

Ha ha ha, thanks man,
Looks like amazing experience in the event !

 

[Snubnoze707]

I've gone to live MMA and Muay Thai events but still never Kickboxing as they never really have them near me.

Almost went to that Bellator/Glory Dynamite shit show event in San Jose with both a cage and ring in the building but opted out.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

I've gone to live MMA and Muay Thai events but still never Kickboxing as they never really have them near me.

Almost went to that Bellator/Glory Dynamite shit show event in San Jose with both a cage and ring in the building but opted out.

You live in the US isn’t it?

 

[Tayski]

I went to several Glory events back in the day (Glory 8 London with Spong Vs Bonjasky headlining, 2 x Glory Amsterdam including when Rico fought and Holzken vs Groenhart, etc) and several UFC events in Europe and also managed to make some pictures with some fighters and coaches and speak with some, it's been a few years since the last Glory event I attended though.

Your great pics make me want to attend some again and organise tickets and travel! I also almost got tickets for UFC Paris also to go with my dad (funnily enough) but in the end I didn't because of the price of the tickets and the transport involved (UFC tickets are really over priced for good seats and I feel you see better on TV at home when its in a cage). Now I'm slightly jealous haha.

Thanks for the share, you managed to catch quite a few names there.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

I went to several Glory events back in the day (Glory 8 London with Spong Vs Bonjasky headlining, 2 x Glory Amsterdam including when Rico fought and Holzken vs Groenhart, etc) and several UFC events in Europe and also managed to make some pictures with some fighters and coaches and speak with some, it's been a few years since the last Glory event I attended though.

Your great pics make me want to attend some again and organise tickets and travel! I also almost got tickets for UFC Paris also to go with my dad (funnily enough) but in the end I didn't because of the price of the tickets and the transport involved (UFC tickets are really over priced for good seats and I feel you see better on TV at home when its in a cage). Now I'm slightly jealous haha.

Thanks for the share, you managed to catch quite a few names there.

Hahahah nice, cool stories man.
Nothing personal, but I really hope the fights in Paris this weekend will be so damn good that you really regret not buying tickets<45>
Means I’ll have a great night