A new heavyweight main event has been confirmed for GLORY COLLISION 8 on December 13 as Croatian superstar Antonio Plazibat (22-5, 16 KO) and ‘The Bear’ Nordine Mahieddine (29-15, 13 KO) look to finally settle their rivalry that has been five years in the making.
Mahieddine replaces Levi Rigters, who withdrew from the contest citing personal circumstances and saying that his health must come first.
Plazibat and Mahieddine both own victories over the other stemming from their fights at GLORY 66 and GLORY 76 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Plazibat has risen through the ranks to become a breakthrough force in the heavyweight division since their last fight.
With almost two and a half years since his last fight, Plazibat is eager to return to action and catch up on missed time. The 31-year-old knockout artist has stated that it does not matter who is opposite him in the ring as he has his sights set on winning the Last Heavyweight Standing tournament.
“I wish Levi a speedy recovery and all the health. For me though, nothing has changed. I have one mission – to knockout whoever is out in front of me. That can be Levi, Nordine, Rico….it doesn’t matter. I am winning on December 13 and then I am coming for everyone in the Last Heavyweight Standing tournament.”
Coming off back-to-back victories in GLORY, including a ‘KO of the Year’ winning highlight reel head kick knockout, Mahieddine comes into this fight fresh having anxiously waited all year for the call to compete. The 35-year-old immediately answered, accepting an opportunity to win the rubber match over Plazibat and spoil his return party.
The winner will book their spot in the Last Heavyweight Standing final, an eight-man one-night grand prix style tournament, which will take place in early 2026.
In the co-main event, Errol Zimmerman (111-20-1, 44 KO) returns to the GLORY ring after ten years away and will face man-mountain Alex Simon (1-0, 1 KO), formerly Australia’s strongest man turned fighter. This contest will also be a wildcard eliminator fight for the final spot in the Last Heavyweight Standing finale.
Two outstanding four-man one-night tournaments in the welterweight and light heavyweight divisions will also go down on December 13. Both featuring the absolute best fighters at their respective weight categories. The opening matchups in each tournament will be decided by random draw in the coming weeks.
At light heavyweight, Artem Vakhitov (22-7, 8 KO), widely considered the light heavyweight GOAT & the last man to beat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, joins a field that includes Milos Cvjeticanin (16-4, 9 KO), Cem Caceres (19-2, 14 KO), and Michael Boapeah (21-5-1, 9 KO).
At welterweight, world champion Chico Kwasi (45-5-2, 23 KO) will be drawn alongside former champ Endy Semeleer (37-3, 18 KO), former contender Teodor Hristov (18-4, 7 KO), and recently added Don Sno (7-2, 3 KO).
All this and so much more will take place at GLORY COLLISION 8 on December 13. Tickets are available to be purchased right now from GLORYKickboxing.com.
COLLISION 8 will be available to watch live in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and North America on DAZN PPV. For full global broadcast details, please visit GLORYKickboxing.com.