Glory 31 is official, as the company returns to Amsterdam for two world title fights and more. Get the fight card and details here.
At this past weekend’s Glory 29 Copenhagen event, the kickboxing company announced plans for Glory 31. Set for June 25, Glory 31 will see a return to Amsterdam, home to the very successful Glory 26 last year. Amsterdam has long been the European home for kickboxing, but local government made it difficult to promote events there for years. Glory has now cleared those hurdles, and is on their way back.
Headlining is a huge title fight as Glory Lightweight champion Robin van Roosmalen rematches with Sittichai Sitsongpeenong. These two met at Glory 25 last year, with van Roosmalen claiming a very controversial decision win. Now, he will try to make that win more definitive in front of what will be a highly partisan crowd. This will be the third title defense for van Roosmalen, who claimed the belt from Davit Kiria in 2014. Sittichai was the 2015 fighter of the year, and comes in here off a great tournament win at Glory 28. Many consider him the uncrowned king at Lightweight – he gets his chance to remove the “uncrowned” label here.
The Superfight Series main event will be a second title fight as recently crowned Light Heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov makes his first defense against Mourad Bouzidi. Vakhitov won the belt from Saulo Cavalari at Glory 28, while the veteran Bouzidi comes in on a very good 4 fight win streak that culminated in a win over top contender Danyo Ilunga.
On the main card will be a Welterweight tournament with the winner earning a title shot at Nieky Holzken. Announced so far are Murthel Groenhart and the debuting Karim Benmansour, with two more names TBD. Glory 30 includes a Welterweight contender qualifying tournament – if the winner emerges healthy there he could be a possible addition.
The final announced fight so far sees #1 Featherweight contender Mosab Amrani taking on Eddy Nait-Slimani.
It’s a great card so far – let’s see what else Glory 31 has to offer as the card takes shape.
Glory’s next event is Glory 30 Los Angeles on May 13. That show is headlined by Simon Marcus vs. Dustin Jacoby, plus features Joe Schilling vs. Jason Wilnis II, and the Glory debut of Tiffany Van Soest. Stay here at Bloody Elbow for more coverage of Glory 30 and 31.
GLORY 31 AMSTERDAM FIGHT CARD