GLORY and RISE have joined forces to launch a Featherweight, 65 KG, Grand Prix. The crossover tournament is booked for Tokyo, Japan on December 21. No names are yet booked officially, but the Featherweight division has been quite a spectacle over the past twelve months.
The Grand Prix will commence with qualification events hosted by RISE in Japan, with the first set for Osaka on June 15th and the second in Yokohama on September 8th. Then the final booked in Tokyo on December 21st. While details on GLORY's qualification processes remain under wraps, fighters from both promotions are expected to participate.
The tournament is likely to feature a collection of top talent. Petchpanomrung, the current GLORY Featherweight champion and former RISE champion, is expected. Kento Haraguchi, former RISE champion, will likely be booked. Current RISE champion Chadd Collins, of Australia, and Miguel Trindade, who recently secured a knockout victory over Collins, are also predicted to have their names in the bracket. Additionally, the tournament could potentially see Abraham Vidales, Ahmad Chikh Mousa, and Berjan Peposhi, among many others. It is a stacked division with tons of talent.
GLORY 93, on July 20, will see some of these fighters compete. Petchpanomrung and Kento Haraguchi are set to meet for the third time, this time with the GLORY featherweight world title on the line. Additionally, at the same event, Mexico's Abraham Vidales will face Miguel Trindade, of Portugal.
RISE has been a staple of Japanese kickboxing while GLORY has been the premier promotion in Europe. Earlier in 2024, the two organizations announced a groundbreaking decision to merge their rankings and host joint tournaments for both the Featherweight and Lightweight divisions.
