Benjamin Adegbuyi is slated to make his return to the ring at SENSHI 31 Gladiators on May 30th. He will face Bulgarian heavyweight Daniel Dinev in a super fight exceeding 95 kg, under the SENSHI banner in Plovdiv. The event will be held at the historic Ancient Theatre, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. EET and the first bout commencing at 7:30 p.m. EET. SENSHI is organizing an outdoor event in one of Bulgaria’s most renowned historical locations.
Badr Hari’s Past Opponent, Benjamin Adegbuyi, Joins SENSHI 31 Card
Adegbuyi brings a significant reputation to the kickboxing world. This veteran from Romania is a two-time former GLORY heavyweight title challenger and has won three GLORY heavyweight contender tournaments, establishing him as a prominent heavyweight in the last decade. He boasts 35 kickboxing victories, with 20 by knockout, against 10 losses and one no contest. His record within the GLORY promotion alone is listed as 15-8.
His career highlights include facing top names in the division. Adegbuyi has competed against Rico Verhoeven in GLORY title bouts and achieved a notable victory over Badr Hari in 2021, a defining moment in his later career. His participation in SENSHI is a significant event, even on a card centered around tournament action, as he enters the matchup against Dinev as the more internationally recognized fighter.
Dinev, however, is not merely an opponent to fill a slot. Leading up to his SENSHI debut, he has earned a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships, is the 2024 European vice-champion, a two-time World Cup winner (2024 and 2025), the 2025 European Cup winner, and a 14-time Bulgarian heavyweight champion. In essence, SENSHI is pitting a local champion with numerous titles against a seasoned international competitor who has already performed on the sport’s premier stages.
SENSHI 31 Full Card Overview
The SENSHI 31 event features more than just the heavyweight bout. The main attraction of the evening is an eight-man Grand Prix tournament in the 70 kg category, where the winner must prevail through three fights in a single night to claim the SENSHI lightweight tournament championship. The quarterfinal matchups include Angelo Volpe vs. Samo Petje, Aissam Chadid vs. Bruno Gazani, Hirokatsu Miyagi vs. Dragomir Petrov, and Zehao Zhang vs. Marian Lapusneanu. Additionally, there will be reserve fights featuring Maxence Vignais vs. Wiktor Kolaja and Mihail Velchovski vs. Andres Casado.
- Grand Prix Lightweight (GP LW): Angelo Volpe (Italy) vs. Samo Petje (Slovenia)
- GP LW: Aissam Chadid (Morocco) vs. Bruno Gazani (Brazil)
- GP LW Reserve Bout: Maxence Vignais (France) vs. Wiktor Kolaja (Poland)
- GP LW Reserve Bout: Mihail Velchovski (Bulgaria) vs. Andres Casado (Spain)
- GP LW: Hirokatsu Miyagi (Japan) vs. Dragomir Petrov (Bulgaria)
- GP LW: Zehao Zhang (China) vs. Marian Lapusneanu (Romania)
- Super Fight -75 kg: Bart Horvath (England) vs. Atanas Bozhilov (Bulgaria)
- GP LW Semifinal 1
- GP LW Semifinal 2
- Super Fight 95+ kg: Mantas Rimdeika (Lithuania) vs. Thomas Bridgewater (Netherlands)
- GP LW Bout for 3rd Place
- Super Fight 95+ kg: Daniel Dinev (Bulgaria) vs. Benjamin Adegbuyi (Romania)
- GP LW Final
The card is further rounded out by three super fights. Besides Adegbuyi vs. Dinev, the event will feature Bart Horvath of England against Atanas Bozhilov of Bulgaria in a 75 kg bout, and Mantas Rimdeika of Lithuania facing Thomas Bridgewater of the Netherlands in another 95+ kg contest. The Grand Prix semifinals, the third-place bout, and the final will conclude the 13-fight lineup.
The choice of venue adds a unique dimension to the event beyond the fights themselves. The Ancient Theatre of Plovdiv, a site from the Roman era that once hosted public spectacles, can accommodate approximately 6,000 spectators. This setting perfectly aligns with SENSHI’s “Gladiators” theme, providing a literal stage for the combatants.
In the lead-up to the event, SENSHI also organized an invitational training camp in Varna, led by Albert Kraus and Andy Souwer. Fighters from 16 countries participated in this camp to prepare for the Plovdiv show. Among those involved were Atanas Bozhilov, Dragomir Petrov, Mihail Velchovski, Samo Petje, and Wiktor Kolaja, directly connecting the event’s preparation to the tournament and the Bulgarian fighters featured on the final card.