GLORY Kickboxing: Benjamin Adegbuyi Joins Heavyweight Grand Prix

Kickboxing Titan Benjamin Adegbuyi Replaces Nordine Mahieddine in GLORY Heavyweight Grand Prix

In a significant development, three-time GLORY Heavyweight contender tournament winner and two-time title challenger, Benjamin Adegbuyi, will replace Nordine Mahieddine in the upcoming GLORY Heavyweight Grand Prix. The tournament is scheduled to take place on March 9.

Mahieddine, who had stepped in as a replacement for the injured Antonio Plazibat, has now been forced to withdraw from the event “for health and safety related reasons,” according to the promotion. The French fighter expressed his disappointment and frustration in a social media post, hinting at an “explanatory video with the truth” that was yet to be published at the time of writing.

GLORY then turned to their fans, asking them to choose Mahieddine’s replacement between Jamal Ben Saddik, Benjamin Adegbuyi, and Cihad Kepenek. Despite Ben Saddik being the fan-favorite pick, the promotion ultimately decided to bring in Adegbuyi as the eighth and final participant in the Grand Prix.

“Despite Ben Saddik being the fan-favorite pick, the promotion ultimately decided to bring in Adegbuyi as the eighth and final participant in the Grand Prix.”

Addressing the situation, GLORY Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven clarified that the promotion had indeed approached Ben Saddik, but the Dutch fighter had refused the offer. Verhoeven’s blunt statement urged those who “talk a big game” to “put your money where your mouth is or shut the fuck up.”

Ben Saddik, who is currently serving a suspension for a positive PED test from August 2022 to November 2023, has hinted at there being more to the story regarding his exclusion from the Grand Prix. However, he has remained silent on the specific details, despite making vague remarks over the past eight months.

🔗 Source