- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
GLORY 32 Virginia light heavyweight tournament and main event preview
- Updated: July 20, 2016
GLORY rolls into Norfolk, Virginia this weekend with an ESPN-airing card which features a four-man light heavyweight contender tournament and a featherweight title fight between two of the most technical kickboxers in the game. The tournament participants are all newcomers or recent arrivals to the GLORY roster, but one in particular is exciting interest among the hardcore fanbase: Pavel Zhuravlev is a beast and long overdue in the organization.
The tournament was really late in being announced. Former champion Saulo Cavalari didn’t get his visa application in with time enough for it to be processed and that left Zhuravlev without an opponent. According to GLORY matchmakers, difficulties were “understandably” encountered in finding someone who wanted to step up and face the frighteningly powerful Zhuravlev on three weeks’ notice. Both Danyo Ilunga and Michael Duut were named as having declined the match.
‘Understandable’ is an understatement. Zhuravlev (69-10, 25 KO’s) is (was) one of the best free agents out there prior to a GLORY deal being worked out. Like many light heavyweight kickboxers, he had often been forced to fight at heavyweight, that being the money division, and that’s where most of his losses came.
At his own weight, he has been a strong force and he is the clear tournament favorite here. His wins include victories over Gokhan Saki, Saulo Cavalari, Benjamin Adegbuyi (they are 1-1 against each other), Freddy Kemayao, Sahak Parparyan and Brian Douwes. He is on a 7-fight KO win streak and is 9-1 in his last ten fights.
Standing opposite him is Ariel Machado (42-6, 33 KO’s) of Brazil. He is not widely known, but brings a decent pedigree to the ring. He comes from Curitiba, as so many other Brazilian fighters on the world stage have, and he also holds a win (amateur) over Cavalari. “Typically aggressive Brazilian style” is how GLORY matchmaker Cor Hemmers has described him. He is skilled but not as finessed as Zhuravlev and with nowhere near the …
continue reading in source www.bloodyelbow.com
