The power and the Glory: Guangzhou just the start for expanding kick-boxing series, say organisers
New franchise hailed with Guangzhou extravaganza attracting its fair share of attention even though it featured a mismatch bout between Verhoeven and Silva
The jeers that rang out at the cruel mismatch between Glory heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven and kick-boxing debutant Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva continue to echo in the combat sports world – but was this part of the franchise’s plan all along?
Pairing “The King of Kick-boxing” with an ex-MMA fighter coming off five straight losses got people talking weeks before Glory 46 in Guangzhou, China.
All that attention, be it positive or negative, generated an interest from both sets of fans; kick-boxing had a reputation to uphold, while MMA dreamed of a humiliating upset.
What a time to inaugurate Glory’s first show in China, and as co-founder Scott Rudmann explains, the floodgates have only just opened.
“This was the first of many events in China,” he told the Post. “Our commitment to this country is massive; we are planning a full calendar in China next year.
“It’s wonderful here because they know what kick-boxing is. Chinese people invented kung fu – it’s in their DNA. In the US, we have to educate our fans about stand-up combat, but we don’t need to do that in China.”
Despite the predictable outcome – Verhoeven dominating Silva in every department before securing a second round TKO – the Glory 46 Superfight Series was broadcast on television in 175 countries around the world.