GLORY middleweight champion Simon Marcus (43-2-2) will defend his title for the first time against Dustin Jacoby (9-6) at GLORY 30.
The world’s leading kickboxing promotion announced the news on Tuesday afternoon (March 22, 2016).
“Simon is one of the top strikers on the planet, bar none, and has proven himself every step of the way since joining GLORY,” said GLORY CEO Jon J Franklin. “The same goes for Dustin, who has been with us for his entire kickboxing career. He just won back-to-back tournaments and is knocking out everyone we put in front of him. The middleweight division is loaded right now and this is one of the many exciting match-ups in store at that weight.”
GLORY 30 will take place on Friday May 13, 2016 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. and be broadcast on either ESPN3 or ESPN2.
Marcus defeated Artem Levin for the middleweight title at GLORY 27 in a highly-controversial bout that saw Levin quit and walk out of the ring in the third round after being docked two times for holding during the bout. Since losing by knockout to Joe Schilling in his GLORY debut, “Bad Bwoy” has won the GLORY 20 tournament in Dubai, fought Levin to a draw at GLORY 21 and took the belt off him in the rematch at GLORY 27.
Jacoby has been on a tear as of late, winning five straight fights by knockout after being on a five-fight losing streak. At GLORY 27, “The Hanyak” took out Karl Roberson and Wayne Barrett to win the one-night, four-man middleweight “Contender” tournament to earn his title shot. That was the third tournament victory in his career. He also won a four-man tournament at GLORY 23, knocking out Casey Greene and Ariel Sepulveda, and got his hand raised three times at the “Road to GLORY” eight-man tournament, where he earned his first contract with the promotion back in 2013.
The one-night “Contender” tournament at GLORY 30 will take place in the light heavyweight division and the participants in that as well as the matchups in the Superfight Series are expected to be announced shortly.