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GLORY 44
Photo: GLORY Sports International

It looks like GLORY is planning on having two title fights on the upcoming GLORY 44 fight card, which takes place on Friday, August 25 at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

According to a post from the Facebook page of GLORY ring announcer Tim Hughes, which revealed a GLORY 44 fight poster, current welterweight champion Cedric Doumbe (66-22-3) will defend his title against Murthel Groenhart, and women’s super bantamweight title holder Tiffany Van Soest (17-2-1) will take on No.8-ranked Funda Alkayis (29-2).

Photo: Facebook

GLORY could not be reached for comment at the time of this article.

Doumbe, who defeated Nieky Holzken at GLORY: Collision this past December to win the title, has defended his crown twice since then. The Frenchman defeated Yoann Kongolo by unanimous decision at GLORY 39, and bested Holzken in a rematch at GLORY 42 by split decision. Groenhart, meanwhile, knocked out Harut Grigorian at GLORY 42 and has now won three in a row. The two welterweights met for the first time at GLORY 28 back in 2016 with Doumbe winning the contest by unanimous decision.

Van Soest, who also competes in MMA for Invicta FC, defeated Jessica Gladstone at GLORY 36, and Amel Dehby later that day at GLORY: Collision to win the women’s super bantamweight title. This past May, “Time Bomb” defeated Christine Ferea at Invicta FC 23 to earn her first MMA victory. Alkayis, in her GLORY debut at GLORY 32, defeated Vanessa De Waele by unanimous decision.

The GLORY 44 fight card was announced back in June. Welterweight and Chicago native Richard Abraham (11-5) and heavyweight Catalin Morosanu (44-10) were both booked for the event with opponents yet to be named.

Update: GLORY confirmed the two title fights via press release on Wednesday. The middleweight title fight between Doumbe vs. Groenhart will headline the GLORY 44 main card. The women’s super bantamweight bout between Tiffany Van Soest and Funda Alkayis will headline the GLORY 44 Superfight Series.

The promotion also announced Daniel Moraes will face Richard Abraham. That fight will also take place on the GLORY 44 main card. Catalin Morosanu, whose opponent still hasn’t been named, will fight on the GLORY 44 Superfight Series.