Media GLORY Heavyweight Antonio Plazibat on potential UFC move: “I think I’d be the top guy — everybody should just try to take me down”

[BoxerMaurits]

Earlier this week, GLORY Heavyweight Antonio Plazibat was interviewed by MMA outlet HOME OF FIGHT.

The Croatian knockout artist believes he would be the top guy in today’s UFC Heavyweight division, saying opponents would just run and try to take him down.
Plazibat also thinks the likes of Tom Aspinall and Derrick Lewis wouldn’t stand a chance against him on the feet.

He added: “Never say never, we’ll see what happens in the future.”

Thoughts? Swipe for the video:




Plazi together with an average Sherdogger, and Alex Pereira:






Some highlights of Antonio Plazibat.
As he always says, “Just throw stupid hard punches”:










He even KO’d referee Edward Strijkert in his last fight, lol:




How do you think Antonio Plazibat would do in the UFC?

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[BoxerMaurits]

This Saturday, Antonio Plazibat will headline GLORY Collision 8, completing his trilogy with Nordine Mahieddine after a 2.5-year layoff due to a broken arm.

Nordine Mahieddine next to an random Sherbro:




Their last fight looked like this:




The event will take place at the GelreDome football stadium and features two 4-man Tournaments in the Light-Heavyweight and Welterweight divisions, along with several qualifier fights for next year’s Featherweight and Heavyweight Grand Prix (which will crown a new champion following Rico Verhoeven vacating his title).
With multiple champions and some of GLORY’s biggest stars competing, they’re really closing out the year with a bang.


PBP-Thread for the event:

PBP Post in thread 'GLORY Collision 8: Plazibat vs. Mahieddine ***Sherdog Discussion*** 12/13 11AM ET (DAZN)'

Dec 10, 2025

GLORY Collision 8: Antonio Plazibat vs Nordine Mahieddine III

GLORY Collision 8 goes down this Saturday, December 13, live from the GelreDome football stadium in Arnhem, and the card is absolutely stacked from top to bottom.
Champions, legends, long-awaited returns, top prospects, and not one but two 4-man one-night Tournaments, in the Welterweight and Light-Heavyweight divisions.
It’s the final big Kickboxing show of 2025, and they’re closing out the year with a bang.

Headlining the event is the trilogy between Croatian star Antonio Plazibat (22-5, 16...

• BoxerMaurits

• 
• 

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

Look likes he’d stand and bang

 

[jeff7b9]

Big talk.

Dude should come get that easy money then.


HW division in the UFC is flaming hot garbage so it would make plenty of sense to sign a few of these dudes and let then sink or swim.
Nothing to lose really.



Glory pays shit. Tournament champs get less than the guys losing a UFC title fight and the runner up drops to relatiively.peanuts.


Here is a glory event payout from California in 2018 half the fighters had a base pay of less than $1000.


26 fighters on the card and the total payout including bonuses was less than $100k

 

[Neck&Neck]

I predict Octagon Jitters in his future

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Gotta see how Plazi recovers from that broken arm/elbow before I will believe any talk of a UFC run.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Big talk.

Dude should come get that easy money then.


HW division in the UFC is flaming hot garbage so it would make plenty if sense to sign a few of these dudes and let then sink or swim.
Nothing to lose really.



Glory pays shit. Tournament champs get less than the guys losing a UFC title fight and the runner up drops to relatiively.peanuts.


Here is a glory event payout from California in 2018 half the fighters had a base pay of less than $1000.


26 fighters on the card and the total payout including bonuses was less than $100k


View attachment 1125719

That’s a long time ago bro. The winner of next year’s Grand Prix will walk away with half a million on top of their base pay. Not bad.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

There are plenty of fun matchups for him if he wants to slide over, and I'm for it.

Ain't gonna lie, though, he sounds naive. All of those disciplines he was going on about are badass when your back isn't on the canvas. He needs to be ready

 

[jeff7b9]

That’s a long time ago bro. The winner of next year’s Grand Prix will walk away with half a million on top of their base pay. Not bad.

Half a mil for 4 fights.... if you win the tourney.


How much does the 2nd place guy get?

3rd?
8th?


There is a reason the most successful fighter Glory has ever had (right?) Rico is coming to the UFC after 12 years on top of glory.

I would presume he is likely also their highest paid fighter.


-------

When was the last time Glory had an event in California?
(where We can see published official payout data)

 

[Trabaho]

Big talk.

Dude should come get that easy money then.


HW division in the UFC is flaming hot garbage so it would make plenty if sense to sign a few of these dudes and let then sink or swim.
Nothing to lose really.



Glory pays shit. Tournament champs get less than the guys losing a UFC title fight and the runner up drops to relatiively.peanuts.


Here is a glory event payout from California in 2018 half the fighters had a base pay of less than $1000.


26 fighters on the card and the total payout including bonuses was less than $100k


View attachment 1125719

It's different for known fighters on big events.

He said he would beat them standing not in MMA.


Pereira looking big. I thought Antonio was significantly bigger. He is thicker but Poatan be big. His fist and tall

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Half a mil for 4 fights.... if you win the tourney.


How much does the 2nd place guy get?

3rd?
8th?


There is a reason the most successful fighter Glory has ever had (right?) Rico is coming to the UFC after 12 years on top of glory.

I would presume he is likely also their highest paid fighter.


-------

When was the last time Glory had an event in California?
(where We can see published official payout data)

All participants receive their base purse for each individual fight, and on top of that they earn additional money the further they advance in the Grand Prix. The final payouts depend on how successful they are on February 7 during the finals. I’ve spoken to multiple fighters who are competing, and they’re all very happy with the potential payday, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that bro.

And yes, Rico was by far GLORY’s highest-paid fighter and made very good money throughout his career. I doubt money is the main reason for his UFC move, and I don’t expect him to earn significantly more there either. If it were purely about a one-time payday, a Saudi boxing fight would make far more sense. From what I understand, the UFC appeals to him mainly because of the international exposure, which helps him long-term, especially with things like his acting career. He’s clearly playing the long game.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

It's different for known fighters on big events.

He said he would beat them standing not in MMA.


Pereira looking big. I thought Antonio was significantly bigger. He is thicker but Poatan be big. His fist and talk

It’s probably the angle.
Plazibat used to fight at 125kg/276lbs in recent years, but weighed in at 119kg/263lbs today while ripped, looking like in his younger days, but bigger:

 

[RoyJonesJr]

That’s a long time ago bro. The winner of next year’s Grand Prix will walk away with half a million on top of their base pay. Not bad.

bout how much the average sherdoggers make a week after taxes

 

[BoxerMaurits]

bout how much the average sherdoggers make a week after taxes

Exactly, but that would he a bit on the lower end. Aren’t we all millionsires?

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

If he's considering it, start wrestling immediately

There have always been a bunch of strikers from various disciplines who could beat top UFC guys on the feet... nothing special about that

There's a reason most of em' don't come to MMA

 

[laleggenda27]

The Croatian knockout artist believes he would be the top guy in today’s UFC Heavyweight division, saying opponents would just run and try to take him down.
Plazibat also thinks the likes of Tom Aspinall and Derrick Lewis wouldn’t stand a chance against him on the feet.

He doesn't say he'd be the top HW in the UFC. He essentially says he'd be the best striker. Big difference.

 

[JustforBROCK]

Well, he certainly has some good striking. But he's right, he'd just get taken down. We'd have to see more than just his hands to know if he'd be more than a journeyman in MMA

 

[Trabaho]

It’s probably the angle.
Plazibat used to fight at 125kg/276lbs in recent years, but weighed in at 119kg/263lbs today while ripped, looking like in his younger days, but bigger:

119 kg a d Poatan is probably 108-110 kg. It does look like that. Antonio is wider / thicker. Still Poatan looks like he genuinely can move to HW. His head is huge, his fist too and he is long.

 

[mraa1]

Strijkert tanked that shit

 

[balkanbomber85]

I’m a big Plazo fan, but I don’t think his style would translate particularly well to MMA. Because of how shallow the heavyweight division is, I’d probably place him somewhere in the top 5–10 range, but not higher.

Kickboxers like Plazo, similar to Saky, generally don’t adapt that well to MMA. The ones who do tend to fall into specific categories: one-shot specialists like Reem, Cro Cop, or Alex Pereira, or extremely elusive strikers like Izzy. Pure pressure-based kickboxing styles usually don’t carry over as effectively.