GLORY's 'Last Heavyweight Standing' begins in Rotterdam

HAPPENING 5 April 2025 | GLORY Kickboxing has announced the 'Last Heavyweight Standing' tournament, commencing on 5 April at Rotterdam Ahoy. This year-long series will feature 32 heavyweight fighters competing across five events.

_{Photo credit: Maurice van der Meij}

Tournament structure

The tournament will begin with 'GLORY 99: Last Heavyweight Standing' at Rotterdam Ahoy, featuring 16 bouts among 32 international heavyweights. Throughout 2025, participants will engage in qualifying matches, culminating in a final event where the last eight fighters will compete to determine the ultimate victor.

Initial participants announced

At a recent press conference in Amsterdam, the first nine fighters were introduced:

• Jamal Ben Saddik (36-9, 29 KO): A former GLORY title contender returning after a three-year hiatus, with notable victories over Rico Verhoeven and Remy Bonjasky.

• Bahram Rajabzadeh (70-4, 61 KO): A dynamic fighter who participated in both the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Grand Prix events in 2024.

• Uku Jurjendal (20-9, 16 KO): An Estonian knockout artist with a perfect finish rate in GLORY and a recent win against Badr Hari.

• Rade Opacic (21-6, 16 KO): A Serbian heavyweight making his GLORY debut.

• Ahmed Krnjic (13-4, 4 KO): Currently on a nine-fight winning streak, known as 'Bosnian Steel'.

• Sofian Laidouni (37-4-1, 18 KO): France's top heavyweight.

• Murat 'The Butcher' Aygun (32-4, 8 KO): A Turkish fighter aiming to establish his presence.

• Tariq Osaro (26-4-1, 13 KO): A former interim-GLORY heavyweight champion.

• Ionut Iancu (30-10, 12 KO): Dubbed 'The Romanian Tank', he made a significant impact in his debut year with GLORY.

Ticket information

'GLORY 99: Last Heavyweight Standing' is scheduled for 5 April at Rotterdam Ahoy. Pre-sale tickets will be available from Monday, 3 February, with general sales starting on Tuesday, 4 February, at 12 pm CET.

Venue details

Rotterdam Ahoy is located in the south of Rotterdam, easily accessible via public transport and major roadways. The venue is known for hosting significant sporting and entertainment events.