[POLL] Glory Collision/36/SFS - Rico VS Badr

[K1power]

GLORY: COLLISION
Heavyweight Headline Bout: Rico Verhoeven vs. Badr Hari
Welterweight World Title Bout: Nieky Holzken (c) vs. Cedric Doumbé
Heavyweight Bout: Ismael Londt vs. Jamal Ben Saddik
Super Bantamweight Grand Prix Final Bout: Semifinal A Winner vs. Semifinal B Winner

GLORY 36: SuperFight Series/Glory Collision Prelims
Light Heavyweight Headline Bout: Danyo Ilunga vs. Michael Duut
Welterweight Co-Headline Bout: Harut Grigorian vs. Danijel Solaja
Super Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinal B: Tiffany van Soest vs. Jessica Gladstone
Super Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinal A: Isis Verbeek vs. Amel Dehby
Lightweight Bout: Andrej Bruhl vs. Tyjani Beztati

GLORY 36: Germany
Lightweight World Title Bout: Sitthichai (c) vs. Marat Grigorian
Lightweight Tournament Final Bout: Semifinal A Winner vs. Semifinal B Winner
Featherweight Co-Headline Bout: Mosab Amrani vs. Fabio Pinca
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal B: Antonio Gomez vs. Hysni Beqiri
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal A: Dylan Salvador vs. Anatoly Moiseev

It's fightweek! Time to make some predictions!

The poll only includes Rico VS Badr to prevent it from becoming too chaotic, but go ahead and place your full picks below!

[K1power]

Here are my full picks:

GLORY: COLLISION
Heavyweight Headline Bout: Rico Verhoeven vs. Badr Hari -> Verhoeven by Decision
Welterweight World Title Bout: Nieky Holzken (c) vs. Cedric Doumbé -> Holzken by late (T)KO
Heavyweight Bout: Ismael Londt vs. Jamal Ben Saddik -> Londt by (T)KO
Super Bantamweight Grand Prix Final Bout: Semifinal A Winner vs. Semifinal B Winner -> van Soest by Decision

I'm sticking with my initial prediction of Rico beating Badr. Can Badr knock out Rico? Absolutely, but I feel the only way it'll happen is if Badr catches Rico early. Also, it's entirely possible that Rico catches Badr with a counter and puts him on his ass, much like he did to Zimmerman when he moved forward too wildly last time they fought. As for Holzken, I simply don't see Doumbé giving him a lot of trouble. He defeated Groenhart on an off day in a very awkward fight. Also, van Soest takes the women's tournament.

GLORY 36: SuperFight Series
Light Heavyweight Headline Bout: Danyo Ilunga vs. Michael Duut -> Ilunga by (T)KO
Welterweight Co-Headline Bout: Harut Grigorian vs. Danijel Solaja -> Grigorian by Decision
Super Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinal B: Tiffany van Soest vs. Jessica Gladstone -> van Soest by Decision
Super Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinal A: Isis Verbeek vs. Amel Dehby -> Verbeek by Decision
Lightweight Bout: Andrej Bruhl vs. Tyjani Beztati -> Bruhl by Decision

Neither Ilunga nor Duut have looked very good in some of their most recent outings, but I do feel Ilunga is still a few steps above Duut who tends to fall short in step up fights. There aren't a lot of people I would pick over Harut Grigorian, Solaja isn't one of the few I would. I don't see van Soest nor Verbeek losing before they meet in the final. I'm not familiar with Bruhl and Beztati so I went out on a limb with my prediction.

GLORY 36: Germany
Lightweight World Title Bout: Sitthichai (c) vs. Marat Grigorian -> Grigorian by Decision
Lightweight Tournament Final Bout: Semifinal A Winner vs. Semifinal B Winner -> Kiria by Decision
Featherweight Co-Headline Bout: Mosab Amrani vs. Fabio Pinca -> Amrani by Decision
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal B: Yodkhunpon Sitmonchai vs. Hysni Beqiri -> Beqiri by Decision
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal A: Davit Kiria vs. Anatoly Moiseev -> Kiria by Decision

Marat Grigorian is one of the very few to give Sitthichai a truly competitive fight and I feel the third time might be the charm for him to pull off the upset. I have Kiria taking the tournament. He was in a bit of a slump earlier this year, but now he's on a 3 fight winning streak and I rank him above Moiseev. I have Amrani edging out Pinca in a close fight.

[sg]

GLORY: COLLISION
Heavyweight Headline Bout: Rico Verhoeven vs. Badr Hari -> Badr Hari putting Rico in black hearse
Welterweight World Title Bout: Nieky Holzken (c) vs. Cedric Doumbé -> Holzken by DEC
Heavyweight Bout: Ismael Londt vs. Jamal Ben Saddik -> Ismael Londt by K.O.

I have no idea why so many people stick with the prediction that Hari will rush Verhoeven in the first round and will try to knock him out in 10 seconds. He did this stuff only against Semmy Schilt, cuz there was no way around it. Against Rico it will be controlled aggression and slow first round (if Hari doesn't somehow catch the defensive and over conscious Rico). I believe that he will finish him off in round 2, when Rico starts to open up a bit. And yes, the worst will happen - GLORY Heavyweight belt won't have any value, but he didn't had it anyway since Rico was dropped on his ass from unknown heavyweight in Kunlun a year ago.  

I never heard of Doumbe before this fight. 2 losses against Kongolo, and questionable win against Murthel is not enough for me to vote him as favorite in this fight.  It seems like he was never K.O.'ed before so i believe that he will make it through the 5th. 

Londt VS Ben Saddik will be a beautiful war to watch and both of those crazy mfs will try to cut each others head off. I stick with Londt, cuz he has the stronger head  

GLORY 36: SuperFight Series
Light Heavyweight Headline Bout: Danyo Ilunga vs. Michael Duut -> Ilunga by K.O.

Man, if Ilunga losses this one it will ruin him completely. He is in 4 fights and 1 year losing streak witch he will have to break now. Duut always losses by K.O.'s and Illunga always wins by K.O.'s so ... yea ... this is the reason behind the K.O. prediction  

GLORY 36: Germany
Lightweight World Title Bout: Sitthichai (c) vs. Marat Grigorian -> Sitthichai by DEC
Lightweight Tournament Final Bout: Semifinal A Winner vs. Semifinal B Winner -> Kiria by DEC
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal B: Yodkhunpon Sitmonchai vs. Hysni Beqiri -> Sitmonchai by DEC
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal A: Davit Kiria vs. Anatoly Moiseev -> Kiria by DEC

I vote mainly for the Thai fighters here, cuz they are ... Thai's  
Except from the possible Sitmonchai VS Kiria fight were i believe that Kiria will win, cuz he has big ass exp vs Thai fighters and will take an advanced MT fighter to beat him, witch i believe Sitmonchai is not. 

[h]

everybody loses when it ends up being a DRAW. muwahahahahahahhahahahha.

[K1power]

Dec 7, 2016 0:21:11 GMT 1 sg said:

I have no idea why so many people stick with the prediction that Hari will rush Verhoeven in the first round and will try to knock him out in 10 seconds.

Speaking for myself here, I don't think Badr will have the gastank to have success with anything else. He kinda tried the controlled agression thing against Londt and it worked, because Londt himself has a bad gastank and appeared to be completely out of shape. I doubt the same strategy will work against Duracell bunny Rico who typically uses constant pressure and is just as physically imposing as Badr is.

I'm not saying Badr will bumrush Rico like he did Sem, but I do expect Badr to be most aggressive and dangerous in round 1. With a hastily acquired horsemeat body like that, muscle fatigue will set in really quick for Badr, especially since he hasn't been fighting regularly.

[kbfan]

He said he didn't train for Londt though (or any of his past few fights). He might lie of course, but it's pretty obvious he is taking Rico very seriously and that's why i think he will win this.

[Shadess]

Last I checked Kiria dropped out the tournament so doubt he is taking it
Moiseev takes the tournament, easy money.

[K1power]

Damn you Kiria!

I see Kiria's replacement is actually Dylan Salvador who holds a victory over Sitthichai and looked pretty good in the K-1 Japan tournament despite losing to Keita. I'm picking Salvador.

Updated the OP.

[mark]

Dec 7, 2016 0:21:11 GMT 1 sg said:

Seeing how badr doesn't fight 4 weeks way from ramadan  and doesn't have only 3 weeks of training like he did for londt, I think he would win quite easily against Rico. In fact I'm of the opinion that Rico only stands a small puncher chance here.  Even if it goes to a decision, badr will take it because there is no way that rico win the first two rounds IMO.

The thing stays like this i think... if Rico comes and fight like he did in both fights with Benny and anderson silva, he gets ko'd in about 90 seconds. Hari is so much faster and explosive that is scary. Also he has way better boxing, killer instinct and aggression. And Rico gets hit a lot which is the worst possible thing against someone like Badr. But I have a feeling that Rico will show up over conscious/ultra deffensive like he did against Brestovac and the second  Ghita fight where he clinched and hugged a lot. So he probably won't come to fight Badr and will try to hug and stall the fight in the clinch. This way I think this fight would go past the first round, maybe in the second, possibly to decision, but even if it somehow go to a decision I think it would be 2-1 at rounds at best... with badr probably at least dropping Rico once in the first two rounds. Rico would probably take the third round.

Despite  of what people has said recently that Rico is athletic ... it's actually the opposite. Rico is one of the least athletic HW out there. He has good flexibility, but he totally lacks speed and explosiveness something that Hari is the best at and we all know that speed kills especially if you have also some power combined with some technique like badr does.

My predictions is Rico will come to clinch and hug. But he of course losses Round 1, also probably dropped once too .... Than in round 2 badr finishes him. 

[kbfan]

You are way over exaggerating there mark. If it goes to a decision any logical person would choose Rico to win it. The reasons are simple: Rico has magnificent stamina, the best a HW has ever had in kb AND he has several 5 rounds matches fought. When's the last time Hari fought a 5 rounds fight, 12-13 years ago?

Personally i think Hari will win in the first or second round by KO seeing how well 'fed' he is. But if he doesn't win in those 2 rounds, i will go as far as to say that Rico has a very good chance to win by TKO in the later rounds.

p.s. i say Hari could win in 1st or 2nd but i don't rule out the chance of Rico catching him with a good counter and ending it. People keep under estimating Rico for some reason...

[mark]

Dec 7, 2016 9:10:40 GMT 1 kbfan said:

You are way over exaggerating there mark. If it goes to a decision any logical person would choose Rico to win it. The reasons are simple: Rico has magnificent stamina, the best a HW has ever had in kb AND he has several 5 rounds matches fought. When's the last time Hari fought a 5 rounds fight, 12-13 years ago?

Personally i think Hari will win in the first or second round by KO seeing how well 'fed' he is. But if he doesn't win in those 2 rounds, i will go as far as to say that Rico has a very good chance to win by TKO in the later rounds.

p.s. i say Hari could win in 1st or 2nd but i don't rule out the chance of Rico catching him with a good counter and ending it. People keep under estimating Rico for some reason...

I agree that Rico would probably win if it goes to decision in a 5 round fight.  But this fight is 3 rounds. So I don't see how Rico could win the first two rounds.

[karaevfan]

Dec 7, 2016 9:17:56 GMT 1 mark said:

Dec 7, 2016 9:10:40 GMT 1 kbfan said:

You are way over exaggerating there mark. If it goes to a decision any logical person would choose Rico to win it. The reasons are simple: Rico has magnificent stamina, the best a HW has ever had in kb AND he has several 5 rounds matches fought. When's the last time Hari fought a 5 rounds fight, 12-13 years ago?

Personally i think Hari will win in the first or second round by KO seeing how well 'fed' he is. But if he doesn't win in those 2 rounds, i will go as far as to say that Rico has a very good chance to win by TKO in the later rounds.

p.s. i say Hari could win in 1st or 2nd but i don't rule out the chance of Rico catching him with a good counter and ending it. People keep under estimating Rico for some reason...

I agree that Rico would probably win if it goes to decision in a 5 round fight.  But this fight is 3 rounds. So I don't see how Rico could win the first two rounds.

That's a logical assessment, but I think one thing you may be overlooking is Badr's chinniness. He has been known to be countered by bigger, slower guys before (I mean, he got dropped by HMC) and given the gap in their relative rustiness I have a feeling that Rico can drop Badr with a counter.

Fair chance that Badr decapitates Rico in the first 90 seconds too of course.

[sg]

Duracell bunny Rico

LOL

With a hastily acquired horsemeat body like that, muscle fatigue will set in really quick for Badr, especially since he hasn't been fighting regularly.

Yea, absolutely. We don't know yet how many kilos has Badr put in, it will be funny if he shows up for the weight in K-1 style - 105~106 kg with a body like this, but most likely it won't be the case. Even then the Duracell bunny will have the stamina advantage. So yea, this is the best advantage that Rico holds in this fight. And his kicks also.
Remember the first fight Badr VS Bonjasky in K-1? Bonjasky used his leg kicks to beat him and almost put him in KD in the third round. This was like 10 years ago and we have very different Badr now, but still i am not sure that he performs quite well against kickers like Rico.

As for the knockdowns, Badr hardly has a fight were he is not down. And from brutal shots like Zimmerman's counter right cross and Overeem's knee that are able to put everyone else in sleep for a good 20-30 minutes. But he proved that he can get up and knock down / knock out his opponents after he was down. Countless times. Is this the case with Rico? I don't think so.

There is hardly Badr Hari fight in witch he or his opponent were not down in some point of the fight. Damn, he even put Alexey Ignashov on his ass, on his evasive, iron chinned, defensive ass. You won't see more defensive fighter than him in kickboxing, it really doesn't get any better than this. So yea, no matter how defensively Rico plays he is going down, no doubt about it. If he opens up, he is going down also. In either case he is down.

[K1power]

Fun discussion; everyone has some fair arguments.

At the moment Badr is a slight favorite in the poll.

[kbfan]

Is this really a 3 round fight? So not a title fight. In this case a decision win for Hari is certainly not out of the question. He should be able to have enough stamina for 2 strong rounds, even if he doesn't manages to KO Rico. And i doubt Rico will be able to KO him in the 3rd. Should be an explosive fight.