Rico Verhoeven Dominates Artem Vakhitov to Cement Legacy at Glory 100

Glory 100 marked a historic milestone in kickboxing history, and reigning heavyweight king Rico Verhoeven once again proved why he remains the sport's gold standard. Defending his heavyweight title for the 13th time, Verhoeven earned a unanimous decision victory over former light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov in Rotterdam, Netherlands, extending an unmatched 13-year reign.

Returning to kickboxing after a stint in MMA, Vakhitov declined a UFC contract to chase greatness in the Glory ring. Despite being undersized compared to the towering Verhoeven, the Russian striker had a few standout moments, including a well-placed spinning back kick in the second round. However, Verhoeven’s precision, power, and conditioning overwhelmed Vakhitov throughout the five-round chess match. Verhoeven targeted the legs and body with ruthless efficiency, securing five clean scorecards of 50-45.

“That was like a cherry on the cake,” Verhoeven reflected. “I knew this guy was amazing, also technically, conditionally, so I knew this was gonna be a huge challenge. Sorry guys if it wasn’t the fight you hoped for or you expected, but this was a chess match on the highest level.”

In the co-main event, the light heavyweight title changed hands as Sergej Maslobojev reclaimed his crown by dismantling Tarik Khbabez. Their 2022 bout ended with Khbabez winning the title, but Maslobojev avenged the loss in brutal fashion. After a close opening three rounds, Maslobojev punished Khbabez with crippling leg kicks and a brutal body shot for multiple knockdowns in Round 4, forcing the referee’s intervention. At 38, Maslobojev is champion once more, setting the stage for a likely showdown with Vakhitov.

Meanwhile, Donovan Wisse successfully defended his middleweight belt against rival Michael Boapeah in a tightly contested fight filled with animosity. The pair last met in 2023, with Wisse winning the first encounter. In their rematch, Boapeah started strong with leg kicks, but Wisse’s late surge convinced four of five judges to award him the final round and the win. Despite the boos from fans, Wisse stood firm:

“I know the fans are disappointed in the decision, but I can do nothing about it. I’m the winner today, and maybe we run it back a third time.”

In featherweight action, Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9—better known as Petch—defended his title for the ninth time, dominating Miguel Trindade with clean knockdowns in Round 2 and winning by unanimous decision in their rematch.

The event also featured four qualifying tournaments for the upcoming Last Heavyweight Standing grand prix. Tariq Osaro impressed with back-to-back knockouts, while Nico Horta and Anis Bouzid earned decisions in two fights each. Mory Kromah sealed his spot in dramatic fashion, surviving two illegal knees from Bahram Rajabzadeh before scoring a flying knee finish in the final.