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 […]
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 other specialist partners.
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.
PFL World Champion Francis Ngannou may have a future opponent in Rico Verhoeven, the kickboxing world title holder. Rumors…
PFL World Champion Francis Ngannou may have a future opponent in Rico Verhoeven, the kickboxing world title holder. Rumors and quotes have been circulating recently.
Francis Ngannou
Cameroon’s Francis Ngannou was the UFC heavyweight champion and was feared for his striking power, with an incredible 85% knockout win rate. Since walking away from the organization, he took on two blockbuster boxing fights against champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Afterward, he returned to MMA to capture the PFL heavyweight title with a first-round knockout.
Photo by Tim Wheaton
Rico Verhoeven
The Dutch-born Rico Verhoeven captured the GLORY Kickboxing World title in 2014 and has not lost since, he now has compiled 11 title defenses plus a Grand Prix championship along the way. He is best known for his fights against Badr Hari. The kickboxer has a 32% knockout win rate and has largely cleared out the heavyweight division. His next bout is a rematch against Levi Rigters then hopefully he can face Antonio Plazibat, after that, there’s no one left in this division.
Francis Ngannou vs. Rico Verhoeven
When Francis Ngannou left the UFC, he was fielding offers from many organizations as the hottest free agent in combat sports. GLORY Kickboxing circulated a story stating that they had sent Ngannou an offer. In a conversation with me, Ngannou said that this story was simply false. In no uncertain terms, he said: “No, no. I never received an offer from GLORY.“
The Cameroonian athlete had a singular kickboxing win before he made his professional MMA debut. Reflecting on this match, Francis Ngannou told me: “Well, I remember it was a moment that I just wanted to fight. I was very excited, was very hungry, and was training all the time. I wanted to fight. My kickboxing wasn’t great though … But I was just like, I have the will to win. I was going there for everything. It was quite a good experience.”
Photo by Tim Wheaton
The kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven has a singular MMA victory from 2015. Verhoeven and Ngannou have each competed professionally across kickboxing, MMA, and boxing. The ruleset in a potential could be mixed following a long history of kickboxers vs. MMA fighters, such as we used to see K-1 vs. PRIDE events.. In conversation with the PFL though; they’re not looking to mix rules.
Speaking in an interview with Ariel Helwani, Verhoeven implored the public for this match. He said:
“What I would like to say to them is just, I think when we’re talking about ‘Baddest on the Planet’, and we’re talking about crossover fights, this must happen! It hasn’t happened because we’ve done the most crazy fights, and this is one of them that needs to be added to the list. So let’s make it happen!
“Let’s find out who it is…the crossover talks, they’ve been going on for quite some time. For example, what’s going on in [Saudi Arabia] is awesome. They’ve put mixed martial arts on the map in a different way…there’s so many different flavors. Could be a home-and-away fight, kickboxing or MMA fight, which likely ends up 1-1. But a boxing match, that’s interesting, because it’s a different way for both of us.”
Breaking news: Rico Verhoeven’s Next Fight is set to go down at GLORY Collision 7 booked for December 7,…
Breaking news: Rico Verhoeven’s Next Fight is set to go down at GLORY Collision 7 booked for December 7, he will face the winner of Levi Rigters vs Bahram Rajabzadeh. The GLORY 95 headlining fight will decide who the heavyweight king will next face with his GLORY title on the line. This news was recently announced by GLORY Kickboxing.
Rico Verhoeven’s Next Fight
‘The King of Kickboxing’ Rico Verhoeven has held his Glory heavyweight throne with an iron grip for a decade. Most recently, he won a one-night Grand Prix defeating three heavyweight strikers in one night. Throughout his career, he defeated many notable opponents but his biggest rival is the Dutch-Moroccan kickboxing legend Badr Hari.
During the single-night tournament, Verhoeven faced the towering Levi Rigters in the final, and the two traded knockdowns until ultimately Rigters could not get back to his feet and Verhoeven was declared the victor.
Levi Rigters vs Bahram Rajabzadeh
GLORY 95 on September 21 will see Levi Rigters vs Bahram Rajabzadeh in the main event. It is a rematch as these two met in the aforementioned GLORY heavyweight Grand Prix earlier this year. Rigters was able to score a knockdown to secure the victory but Rajabzadeh protested claiming he was not knocked down. Now, Rajabzadeh gets his chance to avenge this loss.
Bahram Rajabzadeh is celebrated for his aggressive forward style, he is always aiming for a knockout. Rajabzadeh is dangerous with all limbs including his flurry of punches, knees, and head kicks. In total throughout his entire career, he has a knockout win rate of 87%.
The towering Levi Rigters has mastered the distance low kicks and packs a ton of power when he throws. In GLORY’s heavyweight division, Rigters has been able to capture knockouts by way of leg attacks. He will look to earn a victory to secure a future title shot and be Rico Verhoeven’s Next Fight.
Levi Rigters vs Bahram Rajabzadeh goes down on September 21 at GLORY 95, the winner will then punch their ticket to meet the heavyweight king. Rico Verhoeven’s Next Fight will be at GLORY Collision 7 booked for December 7 from the Gelredome, in the Netherlands.
GLORY Collision 7, December 7 at The Gelredome, The Netherlands is official!
GLORY Heavyweight Champion Rico Verhoeven will defend his Heavyweight World Title against the winner of Levi Rigters vs Bahram Rajabzadeh, who will fight at GLORY… pic.twitter.com/v5HAizMgKt
These are the best kickboxers of all time. The greatest kickboxers of all time list updated in 2024. Who…
These are the best kickboxers of all time. The greatest kickboxers of all time list updated in 2024. Who is the GOAT of Kickboxing? Who is the king of kickboxing? Let’s count down the top 10 kickboxers of all time.
Top 10 Best Kickboxers of All Time
These are the best kickboxers of all time followed by honorable mentions who nearly made the list, updated for this year with the best kickboxer in history.
10. Chingiz Allazov
Chingiz Allazov is a dangerous and aggressive striker who was able to win titles in K-1 and ONE Championship. Most notably, he was able to knock out Superbon Singha Mawynn to make history. Additionally, the striker has been able to defeat GLORY and K-1 champions such as Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Marat Grigorian in dominant performances.
9. Remy Bonjasky
Remy Bonjasky, nicknamed ‘The Flying Gentleman,’ was a major force in kickboxing during its peak years. This Dutch fighter snagged three K-1 World Grand Prix titles at the height of his career. He took down some big names like Errol Zimmerman, Gokhan Saki, Jerome Le Banner, Badr Hari, Musashi, and even Ernesto Hoost. In the 2004 K-1 World Grand Prix, Bonjasky faced a tough challenge by fighting three top-ranked opponents in a row. His matches kept ending in ties, pushing him into extra rounds. By the end of the night, he fought a total of 12 kickboxing rounds to secure the win. With his record and K-1 titles, he is one of the Best Kickboxers of All Time.
8. Masato Kobayashi
Masato is a huge name in Japanese kickboxing as he changed the landscape of the sport. He won the K-1 MAX Grand Prix world championship twice, with impressive victories over fighters like Andy Souwer, Buakaw Banchamek, Mike Zambidis, Duane ‘Bang’ Ludwig, and Albert Kraus. He competed during the golden era of kickboxing and K-1 MAX, facing the best competition in a deep division. His legacy still inspires fighters to this day making him one of the best kickboxers of all time.
7. Buakaw Banchamek
Buakaw Banchamek from Thailand is a legendary figure in combat sports. His win in the 2004 K-1 MAX Grand Prix, where he beat Masato in the final, was a game-changer for kickboxing and made him a superstar in Thailand. Throughout his career, he won two K-1 MAX Grand Prix world titles and multiple Muay Thai stadium titles. He has an impressive record of 240 wins, 24 losses, and 12 draws, with notable victories over Masato, Nieky Holzken, John Wayne Parr, Andy Souwer, Mike Zambidis, Jean-Charles Skarbowsky, Albert Kraus, and many others. Not only does he have an incredible legacy in Muay Thai, but also he is one of the best kickboxers of all time.
6. Peter Aerts
Peter Aerts, known as ‘The Dutch Lumberjack,’ had one of the most remarkable careers in kickboxing. Over 30 years, this Dutch fighter built an amazing record of 108 wins, 35 losses, and 2 draws. He won three K-1 World Grand Prix championships during kickboxing’s golden era and was famous for his head kick knockouts and relentless pressure, easily ranking him as one of the best kickboxers of all time. Aerts defeated many top fighters, including Andy Hug, UFC Hall of Famer Maurice Smith, Ernesto Hoost, Jerome Le Banner, Mike Bernardo, Musashi, Ray Sefo, Semmy Schilt, and many others.
5. Tenshin Nasukawa
Tenshin Nasukawa is one of those rare fighters who has beaten almost everyone in his division. Starting his pro career at just 15 years old. In just eight years, Tenshin built an unbeaten record of 44-0, with most wins by knockout. The Japanese star has defeated well-known fighters like Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Kyoji Horiguchi, Shiro, Kumandoi, Rui Ebata, and his K-1 rival the declared champion Takeru Segawa. With his incredible dominance and style, he is absolutely one of the best kickboxers of all time. He also won various divisional and tournament titles in RISE. Now, he is unbeaten in professional boxing and many of his kickboxing wins have aged very well.
4. Rico Verhoeven
Rico Verhoeven, known as the ‘King of Kickboxing,’ has one of the longest championship streaks in the sport. This Dutch fighter is currently on a 16-fight winning streak against top contenders. He holds the GLORY heavyweight kickboxing world title and has successfully defended it ten times. Verhoeven has notable wins against fighters like Badr Hari, Jamal Ben Saddik, Errol Zimmerman, Daniel Ghita, and Peter Aerts. With his Grand Prix win earlier this year in which he defeated three heavyweights on the same night, Verhoeven moves up as being one of the best kickboxers of all time.
3. Semmy Schilt
Semmy Schilt is one of the most decorated kickboxers ever, with four K-1 World Grand Prix titles, a GLORY Heavyweight Championship, and several Karate world titles. He’s beaten top fighters like Rico Verhoeven, Errol Zimmerman, Kyotaro, Badr Hari, Remy Bonjasky, and Mark Hunt. Standing nearly 7 feet tall, ‘Hightower’ had a massive reach and a powerful jab that could knock opponents out. Interestingly, he fought as a switch making his lead hand a powerful weapon.
2. Giorgio Petrosyan
Giorgio Petrosyan is often compared to a master artist for his technical kickboxing style. Known as ‘The Doctor,’ Petrosyan is a two-time K-1 MAX Grand Prix champion and has won world titles in GLORY Kickboxing and ONE Championship. Throughout his career, he’s defeated top fighters like Robin van Roosmalen, Davit Kiria, Cosmo Alexandre, Yoshihiro Sato, Mike Zambidis, Albert Kraus, and Andy Souwer.
1. Ernesto Hoost
Ernesto Hoost, or ‘Mr. Perfect,’ developed a kickboxing style that many fighters still try to emulate today. He was at the top of the striking world for nearly 30 years, thanks to his mix of high and low combination strikes. Hoost won four K-1 World Grand Prix titles during kickboxing’s golden era, with knockout wins over Mirko ‘Cro Cop‘ Filipovic, Jerome Le Banner, Ray Sefo, Stefan Leko, Igor Vovchanchyn, Mike Bernardo, and Peter Aerts. He also fighters he coached, such as Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Tyrone Spong, and Fedor Emelianenko, among others. His style would become the main influential form of kickboxing for the next several decades.
Honorable Mentions – best kickboxers of all time
These are some more of the Best Kickboxers of All Time but not quite in the top ten list.
Superbon Singha Mawynn Ramon Dekkers Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong Andy Hug Robin Van Roosmalen Rob Kaman Andy Souwer Alex Pereira Bill ‘Superfoot’ Wallace
Former UFC heavyweight, Antonio Silva is set to return to professional MMA. It was recently announced by Silva via his Instagram that he had signed a deal with Brave CF and would be taking on Haim Gozali. “Hi everyone, now it’s official,” Silva said. “I signed the contract to fight on March 9th in the […]
Former UFC heavyweight, Antonio Silva is set to return to professional MMA.
It was recently announced by Silva via his Instagram that he had signed a deal with Brave CF and would be taking on Haim Gozali.
“Hi everyone, now it’s official,” Silva said. “I signed the contract to fight on March 9th in the Brave organization against Haim Gozali. I’m so excited for that, and I’ll see you soon Haim.”
Silva will look to get his first win in seven years, spanning 10 fights across MMA, kickboxing, boxing and bare-knuckle. Now aged 43, there is serious concern over the health of Silva who has been KO/TKO’d in all but one of those 10 fights, some of which were particularly heavy and worrying stoppages.
Silva has been knocked out 12 times in his professional career and has been shipping and receiving punishment since turning pro in 2005. After getting cut from the UFC after going 1-6 (1 NC) in his last seven fights, all of which were stoppage losses, Silva has consistently been signed by promotions all over the world to be used as cannon fodder.
Silva was even signed by Glory Kickboxing, the premier kickboxing organization in the world to take on current heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven, who is widely considered to be one the best heavyweights ever. The bout was a completed mismatch, Verhoeven floored the Brazilian several times as he slowly plodded forward before it being stopped in the second round.
Antonio Silva taking on Rico Verhoeven
Prime Antonio Silva
While Silva has clearly suffered a significant drop-off, a prime ’Bigfoot’ was a terrifying man. Silva possessed serious power which saw him earn stoppage victories over Fedor Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem, and Travis Browne.
The former UFC title challenger also produced one of the all-time classic heavyweight contests when he squared off with Mark Hunt for the first time back in 2013.
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou isn’t pulling punches when it comes to his preparation for his UFC 270 clash against Ciryl Gane.
Ngannou will fight Gane on Jan. 22 on the UFC’s first pay-per-view card of 2022. To prepare for Gane’s unique …
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou isn’t pulling punches when it comes to his preparation for his UFC 270 clash against Ciryl Gane.
Ngannou will fight Gane on Jan. 22 on the UFC’s first pay-per-view card of 2022. To prepare for Gane’s unique skillset on the feet, he recently brought in Glory Kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven to develop his repertoire.
Francis Ngannou Is Looking To Stop Ciryl Gane’s Meteoric Rise
Ngannou faces a former training partner in Gane after the two briefly were in the same gym together at MMA Factory in Paris, France. Gane and Ngannou both ended up finding success in the UFC’s heavyweight division, with Gane winning seven straight in the promotion and Ngannou knocking out Stipe Miocic for the title.
Gane has an unusually quick movement for a heavyweight. In his most recent win over Derrick Lewis for the interim title, he overwhelmed Lewis on the feet and earned the third-round TKO.
Ngannou will make his first title defense against Gane at UFC 270 and is looking to earn another highlight win to his impressive heavyweight run. He has shown improvements in his overall game since first signing with the UFC and will need to make adjustments to deal with Gane’s striking prowess.
What is your prediction for Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?
PFL World Champion Francis Ngannou may have a future opponent in Rico Verhoeven, the kickboxing world title holder. Rumors…
Breaking news: Rico Verhoeven’s Next Fight is set to go down at GLORY Collision 7 booked for December 7,…
These are the best kickboxers of all time. The greatest kickboxers of all time list updated in 2024. Who…
Former UFC heavyweight, Antonio Silva is set to return to professional MMA. It was recently announced by Silva via his Instagram that he had signed a deal with Brave CF and would be taking on Haim Gozali. “Hi everyone, now it’s official,” Silva said. “I signed the contract to fight on March 9th in the […]