Reports suggest that Rico Verhoeven, who previously held the GLORY heavyweight kickboxing title, purportedly declined a significant bout scheduled for UFC 324 in the upcoming month.
Rico Verhoeven, the GLORY heavyweight titleholder, garnered significant attention merely a few weeks prior upon revealing his departure from the kickboxing organization to pursue free agency. Lately, his name has circulated in connection with prospective matchups in both mixed martial arts and professional boxing, notably a prominent clash with ex-UFC heavyweight kingpin Francis Ngannou.
There is little doubt that Verhoeven stands as one of the most distinguished combat sports competitors ever, following his remarkable tenure in GLORY. His last appearance in competition was a commanding victory against Artem Vakhitov during GLORY 100 in June.
Speculation has connected Verhoeven with a possible contract from the UFC, which would inject considerable energy into the heavyweight category. A prominent figure within that division has stated that Verhoeven received an offer to compete at UFC 324, an offer he reportedly declined.
Derrick Lewis Alleges: Rico Verhoeven Rejected Opportunity to Face Him at UFC 324
On a recent installment of The Beast & The Cowboy podcast, Derrick Lewis, a top UFC heavyweight contender, asserted that Verhoeven’s inaugural UFC fight was almost slated to be against him at UFC 324.
Lewis recounted, “The UFC organization hinted at ‘We have a significant opportunity for you, don’t fret, simply be patient’. However, I’ve been exercising patience for quite some time!”
“The event for [UFC 324] in January was intended to feature an individual from Glory, Rico [Verhoeven]. Subsequently, he declined the bout. It was planned for me to face him. Efforts were made to arrange a rematch with Sergei Pavlovich, but he also refused,” Lewis detailed.
Following Verhoeven’s reported refusal of the offer, Lewis was subsequently scheduled to compete against Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 324. Presently, it remains unclear whether the fight promoters still intend to secure Verhoeven’s signature on a contract.
Verhoeven has a single mixed martial arts bout on his record throughout his combat sports journey, securing a first-round technical knockout victory against Viktor Bogutzki at Romanian Xtreme Fighting 20 in October 2015. Conversely, Lewis is set to re-enter the Octagon next month, carrying momentum from a two-fight winning streak, which includes his recent triumphs over Tallison Teixeira and Rodrigo Nascimento.
