Rico Verhoeven may want to continue his combat sports career in the UFC, the largest combat sports association in the world. The 36-year-old kickboxer from Halsteren announced on Thursday that he would quit kickboxing organization Glory.
“The UFC is one of the parties we are in discussions with,” Verhoeven says in a video call with the NOSwhile on a film set in London. “It is a beautiful sport that can now come my way.”
Verhoeven voluntarily relinquished his world heavyweight title at Glory on Thursday and also retired from that organization. The martial artist won the title in 2014 and subsequently successfully defended it thirteen times.
Former Dutch MMA champion
Verhoeven does not stop as a martial artist, but is looking for a new challenge. Possibly the UFC, the largest MMA organization (mixed martial arts) in the world. Here you do not practice one particular martial art, but you combine techniques from disciplines such as kickboxing, wrestling and boxing.
“I also think I could do well, I have trained in MMA for a long time and also practiced wrestling on the ground,” says Verhoeven. “I have also been Dutch champion in that sport among amateurs and professionals. So I know what I have to deal with.”