GLORY announced on October 15th that the final of its Last Heavyweight Standing tournament would be provisionally moved to February 2026. This postponement, according to GLORY CEO Marshall Zelaznik, is intended to give the participants more time for recovery. Additionally, significant details were revealed for the annual COLLISION 8 event, which is set to take place on December 13th at the Gelredome in Rotterdam, promising a stacked fight series for year-end.
The COLLISION 8 fight card promises an action-packed night, featuring two wildcard eliminator bouts for the Last Heavyweight Standing finale, three contests from the Last Featherweight Standing tournament, one-night four-man tournaments in both the Light Heavyweight and Welterweight divisions, alongside several highly anticipated superfights.
Among the confirmed matchups, GLORY has announced a heavyweight wildcard showdown between Levi Rigters and Antonio Plazibat. Zelaznik also suggested that the promotion might reintroduce fighters previously eliminated, such as Jamal Ben Saddik, or bring in new talent to the heavyweight roster.
While COLLISION 8 is anticipated to deliver exciting bouts, GLORY`s decision to feature four tournaments across three distinct formats has met with varied opinions. Many observers question why the promotion isn`t prioritizing a more organic development of contenders through individual divisional superfights.
This broader inclusion of fighters from various divisions follows a period of stagnation in the middleweight category, especially after the memorable Donovan Wisse vs. Michael Boapeah II bout. The welterweight division also faced challenges with the retirements of Tyjani Beztati and Younes Smaili, while numerous other fighters expressed frustration over being sidelined by the lengthy and complex 32-man Heavyweight tournament.
Oliver Croft