It is pretty restless within the top of kickboxing organization Glory. The American co-founder Scott Rudmann has left and accuses Rico Verhoeven from Halsteren that he chooses his own opponents. The camp of the champion in the heavyweight responds: “There is almost defamation.”
This week it was announced that the American Rudmann, in 2012 one of the co-founders of Glory and since then vice-chairman and minority shareholder, has left the organization. He himself speaks of a voluntary departure. Sources within the organization claim that he was sent away.
In a message on X, the 55-year-old Rudmann lashes out to Verhoeven (36). The Kickboxer from Halsteren is the figurehead of Glory and has been champion in the highest weight class since 2014.
“I am very curious if Rico will compete against the winner of the heavyweight tournament (why is he not participating in the tournament?) And once decently defends his title. No opponents, not determining schedules, no whining. Throw him in the ring!”, Rudmann writes.
Waiting for privacy settings …
“His statements are bizarre, there is nothing right of it. This is almost defamation,” says Karim Erja, manager of Verhoeven, to the NOS. “Rico has never refused an opponent in all those years. He fights against every fighter who proposes Glory.”
Glory matchmaker Robbie Timmers confirms that Verhoeven has never rejected an opponent offered to him by the organization. “The matchmaking is determined by us as an organization. Rico has accepted everyone that we have placed opposite him, and also defeated.”
“Of course he was sent away for nothing.”
According to manager Erja, Rudmann made his statements from resentment. “We have been refusing to communicate with this man since 2015. He has profiled himself in such a way that we wanted nothing to do with him.”
“Of course he was sent away for nothing. Rudmann says he himself left, but we have heard something else.”
According to sources within Glory, Rudmann has played yellow role more within the organization for a year since the American CEO Marshall Zelaznik. That his departure is now coming out is because the paperwork is now completed.
Since the arrival of Zelaznik and the departure of Rudmann, Glory has been experiencing a restless year. In May there was a flopped event in Miami and after that the large -scale anniversary event Glory 100 was reduced from two days to one day due to disappointing ticket sales.
“Rico participates completely, or he doesn’t participate.”
Verhoeven is still the big crowd puller in the fall of his career. The champion does not participate in the current heavyweight tournament and does not want to enter a wildcard. “Otherwise you have the story that Rico gets a preferred treatment,” says manager Erja. “Rico participates completely, or he doesn’t participate.”
In the end, the champion did not participate, because he was more interested in a so -called crossoverFight. That is a fight between fighters from different disciplines. Erja: “Discussions were held with parties from the Middle East, but they did not ultimately come out with Glory.”
Then Verhoeven fought in June on Glory 100 against the Russian Artem Vachitov, where he successfully defended his title for the thirteenth time. Since then, no new fight has been planned for the champion.
A fight with the winner of the tournament in which Verhoeven himself does not participate is obvious. “We will see what the plans are for Glory,” says Erja. “In any case, Rico does not shy away from anyone.”