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The Return of Jamal Ben Saddik: Moroccan Kickboxing Star Set for February 2025 Comeback

One of the most celebrated heavyweights in kickboxing, Jamal Ben Saddik (36-9, 29 KO), is poised to make his…

One of the most celebrated heavyweights in kickboxing, Jamal Ben Saddik (36-9, 29 KO), is poised to make his long-awaited return to the ring. After more than two years of absence, the Belgian-Moroccan fighter is scheduled to compete again in February 2025.

Jamal Ben Saddik’s Next Fight

At 34 years old, Jamal Ben Saddik remains a towering figure in the sport, both literally and figuratively. Nicknamed “The Goliath” for his impressive 2.05-meter (6-foot-9) frame and 119 kg (263 lbs) weight, Ben Saddik is known for his powerful striking.

A Career of Highs and Lows

Jamal Ben Saddik’s career has been marked by significant achievements and controversies. A two-time Glory Heavyweight Championship challenger, he claimed the Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix title in 2018, solidifying his status as one of the elite fighters in the division. His rivalry with all-time great Rico Verhoeven is regarded as one of the most iconic in GLORY history.

Between 2015 and 2021, he was consistently ranked among the top ten heavyweights. But his career was interrupted by doping violations, leading to multiple suspensions and his removal from rankings.

In 2018, he overcame a personal battle with cancer. Yet, his challenges extended beyond the sport. In 2024, Ben Saddik faced legal troubles, including charges of kidnapping and assault linked to a drug smuggling dispute. He was sentenced to 40 months in prison and fined 40,000 euros for money laundering.

Suspension and Redemption

Ben Saddik’s most recent suspension, a 10-month ban by GLORY Kickboxing after testing positive for a banned substance, kept him sidelined until January 2025. Despite these setbacks, he remains an enduring figure in the sport, with a loyal fan base.

Ben Saddik’s return in February 2025 is highly anticipated by fans and observers.

Breaking: Rico Verhoeven’s Next Fight: Dec 7 against GLORY 95 Main Event Winner -Levi Rigters vs Bahram Rajabzadeh

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 96 – Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati – Champ vs. Champ Background

GLORY 96 will be headlined by Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati, a match between two reigning champions. The event…

GLORY 96 will be headlined by Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati, a match between two reigning champions. The event is set to go down on October 12 at the RTM Stage, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Let’s take a closer look at the two kickboxing titleholders set for this showdown.

Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati

The lightweight king will look to capture the welterweight crown in the Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati matchup. ‘The Wonderboy’ Beztati is the long-reigning lightweight champion who is testing his skills in the stacked welterweight division. ‘Luffy’ Chico Kwasi recently captured the welterweight title by way of a stunning knockout.

Chico Kwasi

As a lifelong fan of anime and manga, ‘Luffy’ Chico Kwasi wears the hat from One Piece during his walkouts and when he gets his hand raised. In the training room when things get tough, his love of the boxing manga Hajime no Ippo will give him the drive to push through.

At just the age of 26, the towering Kwasi has run through the competitive welterweight division in GLORY. Currently, on a ten-fight win streak, he has defeated notable athletes such as the highly skilled Jay Overmeer, Enfusion Champion Robin Ciric, and WAKO champion Sergej Braun, among others.

Most recently, he knocked out Endy Semeleer to capture the welterweight crown. Semeleer had long held the welterweight title and had a series of impressive wins. He is highly skilled and a tricky opponent. The Dutch-Surinamese Chico Kwasi knocked him out in the second round to capture kickboxing gold.

‘Luffy’ Chico Kwasi is an aggressive-forward fighter with heavy kicks and punches, looking to land in combination. Typically, Kwasi has a height and reach advantage against welterweight opponents. His first title defense will be against the lightweight champion, Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati at GLORY 96.

Tyjani Beztati

‘The Wonderboy’ Tyjani Beztati is a prodigious talent in kickboxing. One of the youngest champions in GLORY’s history, having captured the lightweight throne when he was only 23 years old. He has since defended this crown in five bouts against notable fighters such as K-1 Champions Stoyan Koprivlenski & Enriko Kehl, featherweight champion Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9, and RISE Champion Kaito Ono, among others.

The Moroccan-Dutch striker is known for his aggressive style of fighting, mixing slick punching combinations with fast kicks. He has an impressive pull counter. In the lightweight division, he is highly adept at using his height and length advantage.

Beztati has had impressive knockout wins with lightning-fast punches against Josh Jauncey, or spearing kicks against Petch. But, his most notable match was a fight of year showdown against K-1 Champion Koprivlenski. It was a back-and-forth battle and one of the best fights in kickboxing.

GLORY has been kicking around the idea of shutting down the lightweight division. At 155 lbs, it is a competitive weight class where all kickboxing organizations have a solid division. Since then, Beztati moved up to welterweight and was able to defeat the former champion Semeleer thus cementing himself as a deserving contender for the welterweight crown.

In a prior interview, the Moroccan-Dutch champion said:

I dedicated my whole life to this, my youth, [my] time, everything … I’m blessed that I can do what I do best and that’s perform inside the the ring… Champ way, that’s the only way.

GLORY 96

Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati is a matchup of a deserving contender and lightweight champion looking to take the welterweight throne. Beztati has a chance to make history as a two-division champion in GLORY. A feat that only Robin van Roosmalen and Alex Pereira have been able to accomplish.

Top 5: The Most Jacked Olympic Wrestlers in History

These are the top 5 most jacked Olympic wrestlers in history. Olympic Wrestling is one of the physically grueling…

These are the top 5 most jacked Olympic wrestlers in history. Olympic Wrestling is one of the physically grueling sports in the Olympic Games, whether you’re competing in Greco-Roman or Freestyle disciplines. Wrestlers who compete in the Olympics need to be in perfect physical condition. Due to this, sometimes we get to see some pretty incredible physiques.

The Most Jacked Olympic Wrestlers in History

These are some Olympic wrestling greats who have achieved some outstanding physiques. Let these be your bulk-up inspirations during your next workout. Let’s countdown the top five Most Jacked Olympic Wrestlers in History.

5. Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)

Artur Taymazov is an Uzbek-born freestyle wrestler with a presence in the super heavyweight division. He has won three Olympic gold medals in 2004, 2008, and 2012, plus one silver medal in 2000. Taymazov’s background in weightlifting and his impressive size have contributed to his success, making him one of the most decorated wrestlers in Olympic history plus one of the most jacked Olympic wrestlers ever.

4. Karam Gaber (Egypt)

Karam Gabe is an Egyptian Greco-Roman wrestler famed for his explosive power and muscular build. He won the gold medal in the men’s Greco-Roman 96 kg category at the 2004 Athens Olympics plus a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Gaber’s dominance has made him one of Egypt’s most celebrated wrestlers. Just a photo of him makes you want to do some bicep curls.

3. Javier Cortina (Cuba)

Javier Cortina is a Cuban freestyle wrestler who represented Cuba in the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 96 kg category. Cortina has also achieved success at the World Wrestling Championships, winning a bronze medal in 2014. Known for his muscular physique, Cortina is one of the most jacked Olympic wrestlers we’ve ever seen.

Cuba has produced some incredible Olympic Wrestlers such as modern legend Mijaín López. Lopes has been able to capture an incredible four gold medals in the Olympics, a feat no other man has been able to achieve.

2. Aleksandr Karelin ( Soviet Union & Russia)

The all-time great, but surprisingly only number two on this list. Aleksandr Karelin is a legendary Russian and Soviet Union Greco-Roman wrestler known for his incredible strength and dominance. He won three Olympic gold medals and one silver medal. His body is so impressive that Joe Rogan remarked, “Every now and then I like to pull out this picture of the great Russian wrestler Aleksander Karelin, just to remind myself of what a tremendous pussy I am.”

Aleksandr Karelin is one of the greatest Olympic wrestlers in history having won nearly 900 matches in his legendary career while only losing twice. His body was absolutely ridiculous. Plus, he was strong enough to utilize the famed “Karelin Lift” where he would lift his heavyweight opponent off the ground and then slam them.

1. Revaz Nadareishvili (Georgira)

Revaz Nadareishvili is a Georgian Greco-Roman wrestler known for his impressive physique. He competed in the men’s Greco-Roman 98 kg event at the 2016 Summer Olympics and was eliminated in the round of 16. Nadareishvili won a bronze medal at the 2017 World Wrestling Championships. His muscular build has made him a standout in the wrestling community being one of the most jacked Olympic wrestlers in history.

To achieve this kind of body is a near-impossible task to look like one of the most jacked Olympic wrestlers. But we have written up a diet and exercise techniques guide with tips from Olympian Jordan Burroughs. According to him, one must partake in box jumps, hang cleans, squats, dumbbell rows, lunges, fan bike interval sprints, pullups, band-resisted exercises, and battle rope drills. It is also recommended to add deadlifts, weighted pull-ups, rowing, bicep curls, hammer curls, tricep dips, and pushups.

Top 5: Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time

Let’s count down the top 5 Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time. These are the greatest wrestlers in history…

Let’s count down the top 5 Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time. These are the greatest wrestlers in history whose names really stand out in the history books. Olympic Wrestling has seen some incredible competition throughout the decades, these are just a few of the wrestlers who have risen to legendary status. These wrestlers have earned their status as one of the Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time through the most challenging and oldest sport in the Olympics; Wrestling.

Best Olympic Wrestlers of All Time

Who are the best Olympic Wrestlers of all time? There are many names who could have qualified for this list, but these five have truly carved their place in wrestling history. These are the historic icons, here are the top 5 best Olympic Wrestlers of all time.

5. Ivar Johansson (Sweden)

Sweden’s Ivar Johansson competed nearly a century ago and is a legendary figure in Olympic wrestling. He won three Olympic gold medals in two styles and weight classes: freestyle middleweight and Greco-Roman welterweight in 1932, and Greco-Roman middleweight in 1936. Johansson was known for his versatility and skill in different disciplines. He also managed to earn a highly impressive nine European Championships throughout his career. His Olympic achievements and ability to compete in various weight categories, and styles, make him one of the sport’s all-time greats, easily one of the best Olympic Wrestlers of all time.

4. Aleksandr Medved (Soviet Union)

The Soviet-born Aleksandr Medved is a true wrestling icon. He won three Olympic gold medals in 1964, 1968, and 1972 across three different weight classes—a feat no one else has matched. Additionally, Medved also earned seven World Championships and three European Championships. Medved was inducted into the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame and named the best Belarusian athlete of the 20th century.

3. Buvaisar Saitiev (Russia)

Russia’s Buvaisar Saitiev in Khasavyurt is celebrated as one of the best freestyle wrestlers of all time. He snagged three Olympic gold medals in 1996, 2004, and 2008 in the 74 kg weight class. He was known for his technical brilliance on the mat. Over 13 years, he won nine out of eleven major tournaments he entered. Saitiev also boasts six World Championships and six European Championships. Despite battling a neck injury, he secured his final Olympic gold in 2008 before retiring.

2. Mijaín López (Cuba)

The Cuban giant is a modern-day legend, easily one of the best Olympic Wrestlers of all time, and a close pick for number one. Mijaín López Núñez is a Greco-Roman wrestling legend with an incredible four Olympic gold medals earned in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 in the super heavyweight class. At 1.98 meters tall, López dominated his weight class, often winning matches without letting his opponents score a single point. He’s also a five-time World Champion and a Pan American Games champ. His incredible consistency and skill make him one of the greatest wrestlers in Olympic history.

1. Aleksandr Karelin (Russia & Soviet Union)

For anyone who knows wrestling, this pick will not be a surprise. He is the greatest and best Olympic wrestler of all time. Aleksandr Karelin won three Olympic golds in 1988, 1992, and 1996, plus a silver in 2000 competing in the super heavyweight category. Karelin was famous for his signature move, the “Karelin Lift,” where he’d lift and slam his opponents. With an incredible 887 wins and just two losses, he was a true powerhouse, earning the nickname “The Experiment” for his unmatched strength. He is a legendary figure in the world of combat sports.

Honorable Mentions

In addition to the above best Olympic Wrestlers of all time, here are more who nearly made the list:

Artur Aleksanyan (USA)
Vladimer Khinchegashvili (Georgia)
Dan Gable (USA)
Elbrus Tedeyev (Ukraine)
Kim Hyeon-woo (South Korea)
Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
Saori Yoshida (Japan)
Jordan Burroughs (USA)

Ana and Loopy Godinez: The Power Sisters of the Olympics and UFC

Ana and Loopy Godinez are set to have quite a week in combat sports. Ana Godinez is set to…

Ana and Loopy Godinez are set to have quite a week in combat sports. Ana Godinez is set to wrestle in the Olympics while Loopy is booked against Mackenzie Dern in the UFC. One will be going for gold, while the other is rallying for a spot in the top rankings.

Ana and Loopy Godinez: The Power Sisters

The Godinez family moved from Mexico to Canada, running from the cartel, when they were younger and the sisters took up combat sports there. It started with rugby and judo and would eventually lead to wrestling.

Ana Godinez is one of the top female freestyle wrestlers in Canada. She has won two gold medals in the Pan Am Games and had other success elsewhere. At the age of 24, she will be representing Canada in the 62 kg freestyle wrestling category at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Eventually, she would like to compete in MMA.

Loopy Godinez began her martial arts journey with Judo and would eventually pick up Jiu Jitsu as well. Since making her professional debut in 2016, the Mexican-Canadian has put together a record of 12-4. Along the way, Loopy Godinez has defeated notable fighters such as Tabatha Ricci, Emily Ducote, and Cynthia Calvillo, among others. This weekend, live from Abu Dhabi, part of UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov, Loopy Godinez will face fellow top-ten-ranked opponent Mackenzie Dern.

Their third sister Karla Godinez is also an impressive freestyle wrestler. She has medaled in the Pan Am games and nearly qualified for the 2024 Olympics hosted in Paris, France.

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Loopy Godinez said:

“I think she’s really focusing on training, focusing on herself. Once I’m fighting and she’s competing, of course it’s nerve-racking and you feel nervous. You just try to focus on yourself, and once it’s time to get nervous, I’ll get nervous. But for now, I’m just really happy for her. She’s worked so hard … [My sisters are] way better wrestlers than I am. Now they can kick my ass. I’m so happy for them. You don’t see a full family of athletes and doing so good. I’m really proud of my family.”

On competing in the Olympics, representing Canada, Ana Godinez said:

“I was wrestling internationally and I [realized] I’ve only been wrestling for like five years at that point. I’m wrestling internationally and I never would have dreamed of this. When I first started wrestling, I didn’t believe I could win provincials (high school championships in Canada). It wasn’t an achievable goal for me, but I feel like I just tried to catch up. I played the catch-up game and I worked really, really hard with Karla and I was just super obsessed. I feel like I have an addictive personality, so I was super obsessed, I would watch video all the time, I would be in the gym and be on the mats for way too long. That caught me up.”

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