MIAMI, FLORIDA – April 23, 2025 – GLORY, the world’s leading kickboxing organization and one of the world’s top combat sports properties, has joined forces with Betr Holdings Inc. (Betr), a leading sports gaming and media company, to launch GLORY Underground: Powered by Betr—a groundbreaking, invite-only kickboxing event series poised to revolutionize the sports entertainment landscape. Ahead of the landmark event on Thursday, May 1 at the Betr headquarters in Miami, Betr creators Derek “Betr Derek” Sullivan and Joey “Betr JoJo” Mauriello travelled to the Netherlands to take part in a viral surprise storyline that sent shockwaves through the combat sports universe. Following their trip, the full five-fight card was officially unveiled, featuring some of GLORY’s biggest names.
On April Fools’ Day, April 1, Derek teased that he’d be heading to the Netherlands to sign a deal with GLORY as a fighter – setting social media ablaze as GLORY confirmed via socials that he was a new signing. Known for his explosive viral moments with the likes of Jake Paul, Sean O’Malley, Nate Diaz, and Israel Adesanya, Derek has spent the last few years building hype around a potential entry into combat sports. Chasing the dream of entering his combat sports career, Derek and Jojo were flown to Glory 99 in the Netherlands under the impression he’d be stepping into the ring—only to discover he was signing on as a coach for GLORY Underground: Powered by Betr. With rival coach JoJo ready to draft his own fighters and battle Derek for ultimate bragging rights, the stage is set for a head-to-head clash packed with raw emotion, high-intensity training, and next-level coaching drama. The event will stream live on GLORY’s YouTube beginning at 7 pm on Thursday, May 1.
Headlining the first high-octane event of the partnership is a highly anticipated champion vs. champion rematch with GLORY welterweight world champion Chico Kwasi (44-5-1, 23 KO) set to defend his title against GLORY lightweight world champion Tyjani “The Wonderboy” Beztati (27-4-1, 9 KO). The two 27-year-old fighters last faced off at GLORY 96 in October 2024 in a tense encounter that resulted in a draw, leaving fans eager for a definitive conclusion to their rivalry. As Kwasi and Beztati step into the ring once again, the stakes have never been higher, and viewers can anticipate an unforgettable battle to determine who will emerge as the undisputed champion.
A thrilling light heavyweight contest will be featured in the co-main event as Romania’s Stefan ‘Golden Boy’ Latescu (17-6, 8 KO) takes on the number one ranked middleweight Michael ‘Timebomb’ Boapeah (20-4-1, 8 KO). Latescu, 23, is known for being one of the most explosive & dynamic punchers in the division while Boapeah, 24, recently made a huge splash in his light heavyweight debut this past February winning by KO in the third round. This contest pits two of kickboxing’s new generational talents and is guaranteed to provide fireworks on Thursday, May 1.
Other announced fights include growing social media starlet Don Sno (5-2, 3 KO), who is fresh off an emphatic KO victory in February, against the experienced & always entertaining Younes Smaili (42-3, 19 KO), United States champion Gary ‘The Silverback’ Mack (21-2-1, 7 KO) taking on Florida-based Serbian powerhouse Andrija Stankovic (27-4, 14 KO), and an all-American heavyweight clash between Delvin Nichols (1-2) and the Alex Pereira inspired US amateur champion Demitri Lyman (0-0).
Betr and GLORY’s partnership marks an innovative step forward for GLORY as it leans into Betr’s cutting-edge approach to original content creation and audience engagement. The invite-only spectacle at the Betr headquarters in Miami, FL on Thursday, May 1 will host approximately 100 elite attendees, including influencers, athletes, and celebrities. This dynamic event will be followed by the second installment of the partnership series, set to take place in late summer 2025. Future event dates and fight cards featuring some of the world’s best stand-up strikers and newly signed GLORY talent will be announced soon.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Betr to introduce a groundbreaking evolution in combat sports entertainment,” said Marshall Zelaznik, CEO of GLORY. “With GLORY Underground: Powered by Betr, we’re merging world-class kickboxing with creator-driven storytelling in a way that’s never been done before. GLORY Underground is where sport, entertainment, and culture collide—creating a next-generation combat experience like no other. We’re embracing innovation by showcasing elite fight talent in a raw, immersive setting and amplifying it through cutting-edge content platforms.”
“GLORY and Betr are coming together to deliver an entirely new kind of combat sports experience, and Derek and JoJo are the perfect catalysts for that vision,” said Mike Denevi, Head of Media at Betr. “With GLORY Underground: Powered by Betr, we’re combining elite-level kickboxing with creator-led storytelling to create viral, authentic moments that connect with new audiences. This event, coached by our lead creators Derek and JoJo, marks a new era of sports entertainment, and it all kicks off Thursday, May 1, streaming live for free on GLORY’s YouTube channel.”
For more information, visit https://glorykickboxing.com/ or follow @betr on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. To learn more about responsible play, please visit betr.app/responsibility.
GLORY Underground: Miami Fight Card
Betr Warehouse | Thursday, May 1
Main Event
GLORY Welterweight World Title
Champion Chico Kwasi (44-5-1, 23 KO) vs. #1 Tyjani Beztati (27-4-1, 9 KO)
Co-Main Event
Light Heavyweight
Stefan Latescu (17-6, 8 KO) vs. Michael Boapeah (20-4-1, 8 KO)
Welterweight
Don Sno (5-2, 3 KO) vs. Younes Smaili (42-3, 19 KO)
Welterweight
Gary Mack (21-2-1, 7 KO) vs. Andrija Stankovic (27-4, 14 KO)
Heavyweight
Delvin Nichols (1-2) vs. Demitri Lyman (0-0)
