The event was supposed to mark the triumphant return of Croatia's kickboxing star, Antonio Plazibat. Unfortunately, Plazibat suffered an elbow injury during training and will not be able to compete.
Despite the setback, the new main event still promises plenty of excitement. As fight night draws closer, let's take a closer look at what's in store for GLORY 95.
MAIN EVENT
Heavyweight: Levi Rigters (18-2) vs. Bahram Rajabzadeh (69-3)
Originally meant to be a match up between Levi Rigters and Antonio Plazibat, Bahram Rajabzadeh stepped in on short notice to take the slot, having meant to be headlining GLORY 94 against Stefan Latescu. Instead he will be returning to the Heavyweight class with a rematch against the number one contender.
The two locked horns earlier this year at the Heavyweight Grand Prix in March. Ultimately Rigters was the one who would come out on top however the bout was not without controversy, a knockdown in the first round which many supporters of Rajabzadeh saw as merely a slip combined with an extremely strong final round performance from “The Golden Wolf” ensured that this is a match up that fans will still have an appetite to see. With the winner confirmed to be getting a shot against Rico Verhoeven, there is everything to fight for in GLORY 95’s main event.
MAIN CARD
Heavyweight: Mladen Brestovac (55-14) vs. Karim Dian (16-13)
While Antonio Plazibat will not be making an appearance at GLORY 95, another one of the country’s exports will be making the walk to the squared circle. Mladen Brestovac will be making his eight GLORY appearance and his first in six years. Twice challenging for the GLORY Heavyweight crown in losing efforts to Rico Verhoeven, Brestovac will possibly be making his last ever professional appearance at GLORY 95.
Now at 40 years old, with nothing left to prove in the fight game, the Croatian Heavyweight is at the tail end of a career which saw him continuously ranked among the top 10 in the world for years on end. What could be better than going out with a victory in front of your home fans?
Of course his opponent Karim Dian will be attempting to spoil the swansong farewell and pick up his first win in GLORY. Originally supposed to be Vladimir Tok, Karim Dian has been brought in as a late notice replacement and will be looking to make a statement with a win over a certified legend in his first appearance with the promotion.
Heavyweight: Nordine Mahieddine (28-15) vs. Nikola Filipovic (11-2)
GLORY veteran Nordine Mahieddine will have his tenth fight at GLORY 95. Mahieddine will have a chance to build a winning streak after his first GLORY KO at GLORY 88. Currently ranked 5th in the Heavyweight division this would be a real chance to build up some momentum for a possible charge at the title.
His opponent Nikola Filipovic is not as experienced yet has impressed during his short time with GLORY. Winning his first two fights with the promotion before losing to Nabil Khachab, Filipovic has shown real promise and will view the match with Mahieddine as a massive opportunity to add an impressive scalp to his CV. Yet with him having only 13 fights across his career it remains to be seen whether the experience and skill set of Mahieddine will be too much for Filipovic to deal with.
Welterweight: Arian Sadikovic (38-4) vs. Vedat Hoduk (48-6)
Just after leaving ONE Championship, Arian Sadikovic is set to make his first appearance with GLORY in five years on September 21st. Sadikovic will surely be feeling confident heading into the bout after defeating former GLORY welterweight champion Nieky Holzen earlier this year back in ONE Championship.
Still he won’t have an easy time with his return fight. He is coming up against 50+ fight veteran Vedat Hoduk. Hoduk is another man who is returning to GLORY after sometime, not fighting since 2021 where he lost to Hamicha. Hoduk will be looking to improve on his 48-6 record and pick up his first victory under the GLORY banner.
Lightweight: Andrej Kedves (19-4) vs. Guerric Billet (41-7)
A lightweight clash sees highly rated Croat Andrej Kedves with a chance claim a significant scalp at GLORY 95. Kedves is 1-0 in the promotion and his exploits throughout his career have seen him earn a record of 19 wins and only 4 losses along with a #10 ranking beside his name. Yet despite his skills and home advantage it certainly will not be an easy night for him.
His opponent Guerric Billet has been a mainstay of GLORY's Lightweight division for sometime now. Twice voted French kickboxer of the year, Billet holds a record of 5 wins and 4 losses within GLORY. His most recent bout came in a unanimous decision defeat to Enriko Kehl last May. This was a title eliminator and had Billet won, he would have seen himself challenge for Tyjani Beztati for the Lightweight strap. After a lengthy absence away from GLORY he will be looking to come back with a bang and pick up the win.
Light Heavyweight: Milos Cvjeticanin (10-2) vs. Jimmy Livinus Omani (12-0)
The main card will be opened with a Light Heavyweight bout between two debuting fighters in GLORY. Milos Cvjeticanin will come into the fight with a home crowd advantage of sorts being from nearby Serbia. Clearly a powerful fighter he possesses a record of 10 wins with 2 losses. 8 of these wins have come by way of knockout.
His opponent Jimmy Livinus Omani is an extremely promising prospect in his own right. Massive for the weight class at 1.96m, Omani holds a perfect record of 12-0 with a single draw. Six of these wins have come via thunderous knockout. Certainly an entertaining fight to kick off the main card.
