Jamal Ben Saddik has left GLORY and signed with World Preventing League, the kickboxing and MMA promotion led by former fighter Melvin Manhoef. The Belgian-Moroccan heavyweight is about to make his WFL debut on October 3 at Lotto Enviornment in his hometown of Antwerp, with an opponent nonetheless to be introduced. The information was first reported by FSI247.
Ben Saddik will likely be a part of WFL’s “Closing 16” occasion, which begins a heavyweight match with eight fighters competing throughout 4 bouts. The October present serves as the primary stage of the format, and WFL now has one of many best-known heavyweight names in European kickboxing on its roster.
Jamal Ben Saddik Leaves GLORY
The transfer ends a protracted affiliation with GLORY that started in 2012. Ben Saddik, 35, turned one of many promotion’s most recognizable heavyweights over greater than a decade, utilizing his dimension, strain and ending capability to construct a following throughout Belgium, the Netherlands and Morocco.
Standing 2.05 metres tall and listed round 117.5 kilograms, Ben Saddik was among the many largest energetic fighters in GLORY. The promotion lists him with a 9-0 GLORY knockout determine throughout 12 wins, whereas his profession résumé consists of victories over Rico Verhoeven, Benjamin Adegbuyi, Junior Tafa, Guto Inocente, Errol Zimmerman and Remy Bonjasky.
His defining evening got here at GLORY 62 in Rotterdam in December 2018. Ben Saddik beat Tafa by knockout, edged Inocente on factors and stopped Adegbuyi within the first spherical to win the GLORY Heavyweight Match. That run cemented his place as a central determine within the division.
Often called “The Goliath,” Ben Saddik has typically introduced an event-level really feel to heavyweight playing cards. His trilogy with Verhoeven helped form GLORY’s trendy heavyweight scene: Ben Saddik knocked out Verhoeven of their 2017 rematch, whereas Verhoeven received their different two conferences, together with their 2021 title combat at GLORY Collision 3.
He returned to the ring in February 2025 after greater than two years away, and GLORY described him on the time as one of many sport’s hottest heavyweights. The subsequent chapter will now play out below the WFL banner.
Manhoef’s WFL has added an area headliner for a significant Antwerp venue and a fighter whose identify carries weight properly past Belgium. The promotion has scheduled additional occasions after October 3, and Ben Saddik provides its heavyweight plans an instantaneous point of interest.
The unanswered query is who takes the opposite nook on October 3. Whoever WFL selects will face a confirmed match winner with a protracted historical past in elite heavyweight kickboxing, competing in entrance of a home-city crowd.
