rico verhoeven

Rico Verhoeven Keeps Heavyweight Throne Against Levi Rigters at Collision 7

Rico Verhoeven vs. Levi Rigters Results (2) GLORY Collision 7 The main event of GLORY Collision 7 saw Rico Verhoeven look to defend his heavyweight title against the towering…

The main event of GLORY Collision 7 saw Rico Verhoeven look to defend his heavyweight title against the towering Levi Rigters. After five rounds of action, the two heavyweight strikers traded knockdowns. But in the end, Verhoeven remains the ‘King of Kickboxing.’

Rico Verhoeven vs. Levi Rigters Results

Rico Verhoeven and Levi Rigters met in the final match of the heavyweight Grand Prix earlier this year. It was a dominant match for the Dutch-born Verhoeven until Rigters landed a spinning back fist that sent him tumbling. The all-time great Verhoeven quickly recovered and finished the fight a minute later. After a win, Levi Rigters, of The Netherlands, put himself at the top of the division looking to avenge his loss and capture the GLORY heavyweight world title.

‘The King of Kickboxing’ Verhoeven walked out with an army of Roman centurions, holding spears, chanting for their monarch. He then performed his signature sprint to the ring with flames and the audience screaming.

Sharp punching combinations and inside leg kicks landed early for Rico Verhoeven, looking a few steps ahead of his opponent in the first round. The heavyweight champion ate a hard calf kick and returned with a leg kick to the thigh. Verhoeven got knocked down due to a groin kick and the referee began a ten-count, causing confusion in the ring. It was not scored a knockdown after a quick review. Rigters finished the round strong with a right cross.

Verhoeven landed kicks and punches in round two but a stiff lead jab from Rigters seemed to interrupt the tempo of his opponent. The Dutch strikers trade heavy rearhand crosses. The champion threw a series of high kicks then pressured and threw a flurry to the body. The forward pressure from the heavyweight champion was keeping the hefty kicker on the back foot stifling much of his gameplan.

Double and triple jabs, combined into leg kicks, land with authority for the ‘King of Kickboxing’ in round 3, as Rigters seems unable to mount any meaningful offense. A stunning hook from Rigters landed and Verhoeven crashed to the canvas. He is clearly shaken as he rises to his feet. But the round 3 bell sounds and Rigters is unable to capitalise.

The two heavyweights trade punches and kicks in round 4, with both looking for an edge but neither wants to commit due to how high the stakes are. To counter the jab, Verhoeven lands a booming overhand that drops Rigters. Entering the fifth and final round, each man has scored one knockdown.

Levi Rigters opens round 5 throwing heavy overhands looking for a knockout blow but Rico Verhoeven pushes back with jabs to the body and head. Jabs into low kicks score for the reigning champion to control the final round. The towering Rigters attempted a flying knee and scissor kicks to close the round but Rico Verhoeven defended himself flawlessly.

Rico VERHOEVEN VS RIGTERS GLORY Collision 7 4

GLORY COLLISION 7 Results

Rico Verhoeven defeated Levi Rigters by Unanimous Decision (47-46 x2, 48-45 x3) – For the Heavyweight Title
Tarik Khbabez defeated Donegi Abena by Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46 x2, 50-45) – for the Light Heavyweight Championship
Bahram Rajabzadeh defeated Daniel Stefanovski by TKO (3 Knockdowns). Round 1 – 2:30
Sergej Maslobojev defeated ?tefan L?tescu by Unanimous Decision
Cem Caceres Aygun defeated Pascal Touré by Unanimous Decision
Sofian Laïdouni defeated Ionut Iancu by Unanimous Decision
Mory Kromah defeated Miloš Cvjeti?anin by Unanimous Decision
Younes Smaili defeated Tayfun Özcan by Split Decision
Serkan Özça?layan defeated Ramy Deghir by Unanimous Decision
Endy Semeleer defeated Jay Overmeer by Unanimous Decision
Oleg Pryimachov defeated Abderrahman Barkouch by Unanimous Decision
Ayoub Bourass defeated Anass Ahmidouch-Fatah by Split Decision

Exclusive | Rico Verhoeven Builds the Ultimate Fighter: With Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou, Tyson Fury, and more

GLORY Collision 7 is fast approaching, and Rico Verhoeven, the reigning GLORY Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion, has taken a…

GLORY Collision 7 is fast approaching, and Rico Verhoeven, the reigning GLORY Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion, has taken a moment to blend inspiration with imagination. In a candid discussion, Verhoeven built his perfect fighter combining the best attributes from combat sports icons like Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou, and Peter Aerts.

Rico Verhoeven Builds the Perfect Fighter

Peter Aerts and Glaube Feitosa

For kicking technique, Verhoeven chose the left leg of Glaube Feitosa, known for his question mark kick. Complementing this, he selected the right leg of kickboxing legend Peter Aerts, who has devastating power.

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

When it came to punching, Verhoeven picked the right hand of Anthony Joshua, famous for its knockout power. Adding to this arsenal, he opted for Tyson Fury’s jab, celebrated for its accuracy and length.

Unsurprisingly, Verhoeven nominated himself for cardio, highlighting the stamina that has kept him at the top of the kickboxing world for years. Earlier this year he defeated three heavyweight opponents in one night to capture Grand Prix gold.

Francis Ngannou

For raw, overall strength, Verhoeven pointed to Francis Ngannou, whose reputation as one of the hardest hitters in MMA history is well-deserved. Rounding out the fighter, Verhoeven emphasized Ngannou’s dominance in the clinch and grappling exchanges.

GLORY Collision 7 promises to be a show as he looks to defeat Levi Rigters who nearly knocked him out earlier this year. The heavyweight kickboxing match is booked for December 7.

Exclusive | Rico Verhoeven Builds the Ultimate Fighter: With Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou, Tyson Fury, and more

GLORY Collision 7 is fast approaching, and Rico Verhoeven, the reigning GLORY Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion, has taken a…

Rico Verhoeven Builds the Perfect Fighter

Peter Aerts and Glaube Feitosa

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

Rico Verhoeven

Francis Ngannou

GLORY Collision 7 promises to be a show as he looks to defeat Levi Rigters who nearly knocked him out earlier this year. The heavyweight kickboxing match is booked for December 7.

Rico Verhoeven’s Toughest Fights: Badr Hari, Spinning Backfists, and Kickboxing Glory

‘The King of Kickboxing’ Rico Verhoeven names Badr Hari as his toughest fight but Levi Rigters is right behind….

‘The King of Kickboxing’ Rico Verhoeven names Badr Hari as his toughest fight but Levi Rigters is right behind. His journey to becoming a Glory champion has been marked by grueling battles that tested his resilience. As he prepares to defend his title against Rigters at Glory Collision 7, Verhoeven reflects on the toughest fights of his illustrious career, in an interview with Giovanni Tjin.

Rico Verhoeven’s Toughest Fights

1. Badr Hari

Rico Verhoeven has faced numerous elite fighters, but he ranks his bouts with Badr Hari at the top of his toughest challenges. Hari, a kickboxing legend, has exceptional fight IQ and incredible power. The Moroccan-Dutch athlete pushed Verhoeven to his limits. Their intense rivalry, Verhoeven’s durability, and his ability to adapt under pressure.

“Badr is dangerous in so many ways,” Verhoeven noted in a recent interview. “His ability to adapt during a fight makes him unpredictable. Those fights taught me a lot about staying focused and composed no matter what.”

2. Levi Rigters

Levi Rigters, Rico Verhoeven’s opponent for Saturday’s title fight, is another name on his list of challenging opponents. Their previous encounter earlier this year in Glory’s eight-man tournament showed Rigters’ skills. Rigters’ spinning back fist sent Verhoeven to the canvas—a rare sight for the reigning champion.

“I won that fight, but I made a big mistake,” Verhoeven admitted. “That back fist landed because I let my guard down. It was a humbling moment, but one I’ve learned from.” Despite the setback, Verhoeven rebounded, securing victory via knockout and taking home the $500,000 prize.

3. Jamal Ben Saddik and Tariq Osaro

In the heavyweight division, size and power often dominate, and Verhoeven has faced no shortage of physically imposing opponents. Among them are Jamal Ben Saddik and Tariq “Cookie” Osaro, whom Verhoeven places in the same category of challenges.

“They’re both large and incredibly strong,” Verhoeven explained. “You have to be tactical when facing guys like that. It’s not just about matching their strength but outsmarting them.”

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As he steps into the ring against Rigters once again, Rico Verhoeven aims to showcase the lessons learned from his storied career. The much-anticipated Glory Collision 7 title fight between Verhoeven and Rigters takes place on December 7 at the Gelredome. Fans eagerly await to see if Verhoeven’s introspection and preparation will cement his legacy or if Rigters will mark the dawn of a new era in kickboxing.

Exclusive | Rico Verhoeven Wants Francis Ngannou to Decide “The Baddest Man on the Planet”

The long-reigning heavyweight king of kickboxing Rico Verhoeven wants a match against Francis Ngannou, the lineal UFC champion and…

The long-reigning heavyweight king of kickboxing Rico Verhoeven wants a match against Francis Ngannou, the lineal UFC champion and current PFL heavyweight titleholder. This would be a battle of combat sports superstars.

Rico Verhoeven vs. Francis Ngannou

The Dutch-born Rico Verhoeven has held the GLORY heavyweight kickboxing world title for a decade and has an incredible 11 title defenses to his name. Along the way, he’s defeated incredible fighters such as Badr Hari, Jamal Ben Saddik, and many others. Earlier this year he defeated three opponents in a single night to capture the Grand Prix title. Now, he will look to defend his throne at Glory Collision 7, on December 7, against Levi Rigters.

Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou entered the UFC and quickly made a name for himself due to his fearsome power. He captured the heavyweight crown with a series of knockout wins and defended his UFC before leaving the organization. He then took on blockbuster boxing matches against heavyweight boxing royalty before capturing the PFL MMA world title by first-round knockout.

Both Rico Verhoeven and Francis Ngannou have experience across multiple combat sports; each man has competed at the professional level across Kickboxing, MMA, and boxing. However, Ngannou has far more experience in MMA while Verhoeven has far more experience in kickboxing.

Rico Verhoeven discussed the match with me in an interview, he explained:

“I would love that. That would definitely make sense, especially if we’re talking about the baddest man on the planet. Absolutely. Yeah, I think we’re both in that conversation. MMA, boxing, and kickboxing—let’s throw everybody in one jar and put them all together. Let’s do it!”

Both the PFL and GLORY would likely be okay doing a crossover event, but picking the right regulations would be an issue. As for the rules and gloves, Verhoeven is ready for anything. He continued:

“Let’s see what they offer and what they have in mind. A boxing match would be nice. It would be interesting because we both come out of our own worlds and do something else. Of course, in MMA, he would have an advantage. In kickboxing, I would have the advantage. Let’s see.”

Interestingly, Ngannou and Verhoevern have actually trained together before. The Dutch striker said:

“The training we had was so light, it was just fun. I was in town, and we were just hanging out. I know Eric is his trainer, and he’s really good. We just had fun, showed him some stuff I use within kickboxing, and yeah, we just hung out.”

Francis Ngannou currently has no match scheduled in the near future. Rico Verhoeven is looking to cement his place as an all-time great in kickboxing with another defense of his title booked for December 7 at Glory Collision 7 facing the dangerous kicker Levi Rigters.

Rico Verhoeven I Would Love That. Baddest Man on the Planet On Facing Francis Ngannou YouTube 0 17 53

VIDEO: Tom Aspinall Trades Kicks In Dead Leg Contest With Kickboxing World Champion

UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been able to build a perfect training regime around him in England where he only works with other large bodies. His specifically tailored training has been a huge benefit to the Brit but it also doesn’t stop him from travelling from time to time to work with some […]

Continue Reading VIDEO: Tom Aspinall Trades Kicks In Dead Leg Contest With Kickboxing World Champion at MMA News.

A long-time friend and training partner of his is none other than “The King of Kickboxing”, Rico Verhoeven. The Dutch striker is the long-reigning heavyweight champion in GLORY and with his next title defense scheduled for GLORY Collision 7 on December 7, he recently got some sparring rounds in with one of the best heavyweights in MMA.

Though he didn’t show what could be PPV quality sparring rounds between the two lethal strikers, Aspinall did put up a YouTube video that featured the elite kickboxer. As well as their conversation regarding a potential crossover fight between Verhoeven and Francis Ngannou, the interim heavyweight champion invited him on the channel for a “dead leg challenge” which guests have featured on in the past.

Here, both competitors will take turns throwing leg kicks that start at very low percent power and slowly build. However, usually these guests are not fighters so Aspinall is teaching them the technique and then getting them to do it to him which has little impact on him.

This time around, in his own words, he is the beginner when he’s in the company of Verhoeven who is one of the best leg kickers in the sport. Given that both of them are very effective kickers, they chose to start right from the 70% mark, going up 10% each time for a total of three kicks each.

Though Aspinall is able to take the punishment and dish it back out, Verhoeven seems to be enjoying himself more and more with each kick that he takes. His incredible durability is one of his biggest strengths, especially when it comes to competing in Grand Prix tournaments and it’s clear to see why in this video.

Continue Reading VIDEO: Tom Aspinall Trades Kicks In Dead Leg Contest With Kickboxing World Champion at MMA News.