The Dutch-based GLORY has announced the return of “GLORY Rivals,” reviving a format designed to give rising kickboxers and developing prospects a route to perform in front of a wider international audience. The relaunch begins on November 28 at Maaspoort Den Bosch, with RingFight Promotions serving as the first regional partner in the project.

The move gives a network to a part of the sport that often sits between local shows and global platforms. GLORY CEO Marshall Zelaznik said the plan is to work with regional promotions that share the same direction and build a system that helps fighters, fans, and the business side of kickboxing. In practical terms, that places GLORY Rivals as a feeder platform tied to the company’s existing event calendar rather than a one-off experiment.

GLORY Books November Return of “GLORY Rivals” in Partnership With RingFight Promotions

RingFight Promotions comes into the deal as an established Dutch regional name, and that local footing is a key part of the launch. RFP co-founder and CEO Saïd Hamzaoui said the promotion has spent years focused on finding and developing new kickboxing talent, framing the GLORY link-up as the next step in that process. He added that the series creates an opening for fighters outside the GLORY roster to earn a path toward the sport’s top stage, while giving fans an early look at names who may become fixtures later.

GLORY has spent 2026 rebuilding a layered competitive structure, starting with the return of its Grand Prix format across multiple weight classes and adding “Proving Grounds” bouts that let emerging names and established veterans compete for tournament opportunities.

GLORY’s work with Japan’s RISE has already offered a strong example of how this type of collaboration can benefit all sides. The two organizations have used cross-promotional matchmaking to create meaningful fights, keep divisions moving, and place fighters in front of audiences they may not have reached otherwise.

GLORY now has its standard numbered events, its larger-scale COLLISION cards, its Grand Prix tracks, and a prospect-facing series that can identify who is ready for a bigger slot. It is a cleaner ladder for talent development, especially in Europe, where regional kickboxing remains active but often fragmented. For fighters on the Dutch and regional European scene, it creates a more direct route from local relevance to a GLORY audience.

Timothy Wheaton