GLORY Kickboxing has stripped Tarik Khbabez of the Light Heavyweight world title and booked Bahram Rajabzadeh to face Donovan Wisse for the vacant belt at GLORY 107 on April 25 at the RTM Stage in Rotterdam.
Wisse, the reigning middleweight world champion and seven-time titleholder, has been encouraged to move up in weight amid uncertainty about the future of the middleweight division. A win would make him the first GLORY fighter since Alex Pereira to hold world titles in two divisions simultaneously.
“Despite having previously confirmed and announced his commitment to defend the title on April 25, Khbabez has now rejected a rematch against Bahram Rajabzadeh,” GLORY stated. “As the promotion, GLORY selects the matchups.”
Khbabez strongly disputes that framing and insists he never refused the fight.
“Since I won the belt, I’ve always been clear about two things. First: my hand hasn’t fully recovered yet, and I want to fight responsibly. Second: if GLORY insists on this fight, there should also be a fair bonus and proper appreciation in return. That’s not a refusal. That’s normal negotiation,” Khbabez said per AD.nl.
Khbabez won the light heavyweight title last October by defeating Rajabzadeh in a closely contested bout that was later named ‘Fight of the Year,’ fueling fan demand for a rematch. The champion, however, believes Rajabzadeh has not earned an immediate title shot.
“Bahram has a big fanbase and this fight sells tickets, but sporting fairness must not be sacrificed for commercial interests. With all due respect to Bahram, that’s not how elite sport works,” Khbabez said per AD.nl.
He also questioned Rajabzadeh’s recent positioning as the next challenger.
“Then Bahram fought one easy fight — even in a different weight class (heavyweight) — and now suddenly he’s being pushed forward again for a title fight against me,” he added.
GLORY maintains that Rajabzadeh was the number one contender and that the situation left the promotion with no alternative.
“We worked with Tarik to make sure he felt comfortable defending his title,” said GLORY CEO Marshall Zelaznik. “Now that he is refusing to fight the number one contender, we unfortunately have no other option.”
Regardless of where the truth lies, it’s another controversial decision for GLORY, whose matchmaking choices have increasingly drawn criticism from long-time fans.
