Zinedine Hameur-Lain Meets Zack Mwekassa in First Round of GLORY 38
DENVER – GLORY today announced the final entrant in its one-night, four-man light heavyweight contender tournament, as the world’s premier kickboxing league returns to Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. for GLORY 38 Chicago and GLORY 38 SuperFight Series on Friday, Feb. 24.
Comprising the one-night, four-man light heavyweight contender tournament at GLORY 38 Chicago are two explosive semifinal bouts featuring top 10 talent. In addition to notching two career victories in a single evening, the tournament winner will earn an opportunity to face the reigning GLORY light heavyweight champion at a later date.
Former interim GLORY light heavyweight champion Zack “The Black Warrior” Mwekassa (15-4, 13 KO) returns in the night’s first tournament semifinal scrap, looking to improve upon his No. 3 ranking against French knockout artist Zinedine “Good Boy” Hameur-Lain (56-14, 35 KO). Hameur-Lain, currently ranked No. 6 in the division, is a former contender tournament winner attempting to climb back into title contention.
Mere weeks removed from his 2016 Fight of the Year performance against Michael Duut, dynamic Congolese-German striker Danyo “Dibuba” Ilunga (57-10, 44 KO) takes on Brazil’s Ariel Machado (43-8, 33 KO) in a tournament semifinal clash paring the No. 8 and No. 7 light heavyweights respectively.
The previously announced rubber match between GLORY light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov (17-5, 7 KO) of Russia and Brazilian rival Saulo “Cassius Clay” Cavalari (60-4, 49 KO) headlines GLORY 38 Chicago.
The complete five-fight card for GLORY 38 Chicago can be found below:
GLORY 38 Chicago
Light Heavyweight World Title Headline Bout: Artem Vakhitov vs. Saulo Cavalari
Light Heavyweight Tournament Final Bout: Winner of Bout A vs. Winner of Bout B
Welterweight Co-Headline Bout: Richard Abraham vs. Antoine Pinto
Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal Bout B: Danyo Ilunga vs. Ariel Machado
Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal Bout A: Zack Mwekassa vs. Zinedine Hameur-Lain
GLORY 38 Chicago airs live at 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT on ESPN3.
In the headline bout of GLORY 38 SuperFight Series, taking place immediately before GLORY 38 Chicago, No. 1 heavyweight contender Benjamin “Mister Gentleman” Adegbuyi (27-4, 16 KO) of Romania finally crosses paths with world No. 9 Anderson “Braddock” Silva (40-15-1, 25 KO) of Brazil.
The complete five-fight card for GLORY 38 SuperFight Series can be found below:
GLORY 38 Chicago
Heavyweight Headline Bout: Benjamin Adegbuyi vs. Anderson Silva
Heavyweight Co-Headline Bout: Cătălin Moroșanu vs. Maurice Greene
Welterweight Bout: Murthel Groenhart vs. Thongchai
Welterweight Bout: Paweł Jędrzejczyk vs. Daniel Morales
Lightweight Bout: Łukasz Pławecki vs. Niclas Larsen
GLORY 38 SuperFight Series streams live and exclusively at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT on UFC FIGHT PASS.
Tickets for GLORY 38 Chicago and GLORY 38 Super Fight Series are on sale now, priced at $170, $100, $55, and $35. Tickets are available for purchase at spectratix.com and the Sears Centre Arena box office.
For more information, visit glorykickboxing.com.