Following a recent successful weekend of kickboxing, attention is now shifting to the return of a major figure in the sport. Former world light heavyweight champion, Artem Vakhitov, is set to make his comeback to the GLORY promotion. However, this time he will be competing in the heavyweight category, where he is scheduled to challenge the current reigning champion, Rico Verhoeven, at the GLORY 100 event scheduled for June 14th.
As initially disclosed on The Ariel Helwani Show, Vakhitov confirmed that he has turned down the UFC contract he was offered last October. This offer came after his impressive TKO victory over Islem Masraf on Dana White`s Contender Series. Instead of pursuing a career in mixed martial arts, Vakhitov has opted to return to kickboxing, the discipline in which he built his reputation. This move represents a significant undertaking, as he steps into the heavyweight division to face Verhoeven in his debut fight in the weight class.
In June 2022, several months after the commencement of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, GLORY decided to release all its Russian athletes from their contracts, citing logistical complexities. This action compelled prominent fighters such as Vakhitov, Dmitry Menshikov, and Aleksei Ulianov to seek competitive opportunities elsewhere. With the previously imposed restriction now lifted, fighters from Russia are once again permitted to compete within the promotion.
It is believed that officials within the UFC viewed Vakhitov as a potential future opponent for two-sport champion Alex Pereira, particularly given their history of fighting each other (each having secured one victory). Nevertheless, rather than continuing his path in MMA, Vakhitov has chosen to return to what he affectionately calls his `love`—kickboxing. While many observers might have anticipated him pursuing his former light heavyweight title, he is instead taking on the ultimate challenge available for his return fight.
Gareth Tenby