News Verhoeven holds talks with the UFC.

[Trupsi]

He went back to GLory and lost a HW title fight to Rico and now I assume he'll be in some LHW tournament. I'm not a kickboxing fan but I believe I saw something about that on twitter.

Yep, Vakhitov.
Very good kickboxer, but was clearly undersized vs Rico.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

@BoxerMaurits Is this true??

Yes this is true!

@Deadwing88 If you can include my Instagram post in the OP, Sherbros will have everything they need to know

 

[BoxerMaurits]

And maybe also these:

 

[BoxerMaurits]

If there was ever a division so enter into and do “ok” in with 0 grappling it’s HW

Rozenstruik did decent for what he was. Maybe that’s about what we should expect? Idk much about glory so I have no idea how good each guy was coming from the kickboxing background

Rozenstruik was decent back in his kickboxing days, but he didn’t accomplish anything noteworthy.
He never made it to GLORY, the world’s premier kickboxing organization.

Rico Verhoeven has been their champion for over 12 years.

That’s all you need to know, bro

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Oh shit, would be cool if Rico made a quick run in the UFC

 

[1BadMF]

I'd rather see him in the UFC than the Taffa bros.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Rico vs Poatan, make it happen. !

Remember when Alex Pereira called out Rico Verhoeven to become GLORY triple champ, right after winning the LHW-belt against Artem Vakhitov?



Poatan vs King of Kickboxing, in MMA. Let’s run it baby!!

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Random but do you remember the Russian dude who declined the UFC to get a glory title shot? It might have been against this dude im not sure.

He went back to GLory and lost a HW title fight to Rico and now I assume he'll be in some LHW tournament. I'm not a kickboxing fan but I believe I saw something about that on twitter.

Yep, Vakhitov.
Very good kickboxer, but was clearly undersized vs Rico.

You guys are talking about Artem Vakhitov, the former GLORY Light-Heavyweight champion who won a UFC-contract on DWCS last year but instead decided to re-sign with GLORY (he’s the last man to beat Poatan in Kickboxing).

Next month at Collision 8 on December 13, he will participate in a 4-man LHW Tournament. That’s gonna be fun!

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Feels like Wrzosek who looked fine in MMA until they matched him up with a grappler in De Fries and he got demolished

 

[prime_lobov]

He isn’t coming to the UFC. He’s just ducking Smilin’ Sam Alvey. After Sam flatlines Robelis Deapagne, rumor has it he was going to move to Glory and beat Rico’s ass, per sources. Hence Rico running away from the promotion.

 

[AndrewGolota48]

Rico vs Almeida is the dream matchup, everyone wants to see it.

 

[Number 8]

Too old... he'll go to ONE or boxing cause of moar money and less competition, and I get it.

 

[xhaydenx]

His striking style would have to change drastically for him to have any chance in MMA. His really doesn't translate well at all.

Crazy that he's leaving kickboxing. No one in kickboxing can ask for anything near the sort of money he was able to. It must really be drying up if even he's leaving now. It's not like he has much serious competition anymore except for Rigters, who he still beats easily enough. Rigters lost in the tourney recently anyway so it's not like Rico even had to worry about him for a while.

Glory lost another long time champ to MMA just the other week as well. It sucks, but it feels like Kickboxing is dying.

 

[PeterGriffin]

Dana would have to be a complete idiot to not sign Rico.

 

[xhaydenx]

Too old... he'll go to ONE or boxing cause of moar money and less competition, and I get it.

Very much doubt he goes to ONE.

ONE's top non-thai kickboxers have been leaving. They're obviously not getting paid enough over there. Rico would be wanting a lot more than what any of them were getting, which ONE won't want to pay.

I think it'll be boxing. At his age, it'll be a lot easier just having to learn how to only throw hands than worry about grappling as well.

 

[Zebra Cheeks]

Rozenstruik was decent back in his kickboxing days, but he didn’t accomplish anything noteworthy.
He never made it to GLORY, the world’s premier kickboxing organization.

Rico Verhoeven has been their champion for over 12 years.

That’s all you need to know, bro

I went and watched some tape on him. He seems very aggressive for a kickboxer

 

[BoxerMaurits]

After 4,418 days as GLORY Heavyweight Champion, 13 successful title defenses, and winning the GLORY 8-man Heavyweight Grand Prix, Rico Verhoeven has officially vacated his title and left the world’s premier Kickboxing organization.
The 36-year-old Verhoeven has decided to move on from GLORY to pursue new challenges outside of Kickboxing, focusing on UFC/MMA, professional Boxing, or crossover superfights. He’s now a free agent, able to sign with any promotion.
The “King of Kickboxing” has already held talks with several major organizations, including the UFC, per Ariel Helwani.

GLORY has confirmed the news, praising Verhoeven’s decade-plus of dominance and announcing a major 2026 competitive overhaul, including yearly one-night tournaments and more active champions.
A new GLORY Heavyweight Champion will be crowned on February 7 at the Last Heavyweight Standing 8-man Grand Prix.

Despite the split, Rico shared an emotional message, saying he “gave everything to this sport and this organisation” since joining GLORY in 2012, selling out massive arenas, breaking records, and helping shape modern Kickboxing.
He thanked the behind-the-scenes staff, Pierre Andurand, and fans worldwide, adding: “It’s not a goodbye, it’s an until we meet again.”

Where do you want to see Rico Verhoeven fight next?

UFC? Boxing? PFL? Let me know!

—

: @BoxerMaurits

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[BoxerMaurits]

Unreal resume and legacy:

 

[xhaydenx]

I went and watched some tape on him. He seems very aggressive for a kickboxer

Who? Rico?

 

[Luthien]

Rico is still so attractive