Kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven leaves Glory after 12 years, vacates title
Kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven is retiring from fighting for Glory. The 36-year-old is going to look into the possibilities of fighting outside of the company, vacating his championship, which he held for 4,418 days, in the process.
Verhoeven quits Glory after 13 successful title defenses, a record in the company’s history. “I joined GLORY in 2012, and from that moment on, I gave everything to this sport and to the organisation. Together, we built something truly special, sold out arenas, broke records, gave fans incredible fights and moments that helped shape the history of kickboxing,” Verhoeven said on Instagram.
According to Verhoeven’s manager, Karim Arja, Verhoeven was willing to extend his contract but was unable to reach an agreement with the company. “Rico advocates for greater transparency in the sport,” Erja said to NOS. “He took issue with Glory’s doping policy, which essentially meant the organization was policing itself. For him, maintaining a clean sport is a core value.”
Verhoeven’s last Glory fight was a unanimous decision victory over Artem Vakhitov in June. He has previously expressed interest in exploring other combat sports. He has a professional MMA record of 1 win and 0 losses, with one fight in 2015.
Beyond the ring, Verhoeven has diversified his career into acting, motivational speaking, and fitness entrepreneurship. He has appeared in films like Black Lotus and the documentary series RICO: Dream Big.
Verhoeven also took the time to thank his fans in the statement. "To all the fans who’ve been part of this incredible journey.... Thank you for the memories, the energy, and the respect."
