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Photo credit: James Law/Glory Sports International

Rico Verhoeven and Jamal Ben Saddik had their penultimate staredown on Tuesday before their final one at the weigh-ins of their showdown in the main event of GLORY Redemption.

After a heated press conference in which both fighters handed out verbal jabs, security had to intervene during the staredown. Afterwards, “The King of Kickboxing” wasn’t too happy with Ben Saddik’s actions.

Verhoeven said during the press conference that he’ll wait until the last minute to knock Ben Saddik out to let him suffer during the process: “What this guy is gonna experience something he’s never done before. Five times three minutes is a hell. Every fight he’s been in, he’s been puffing and coughing after two rounds.

“I’m gonna wring him out for 24 minutes,” Verhoeven said. “Even if he’s done after three or four rounds, I’ll wait until the last minute in the fifth round to knock him out. I’m gonna wring him completely. This guy won’t know what’s gonna happen.”

Ben Saddik responded agitated, telling Verhoeven he’ll only need one punch to knock him out: “You should keep your hands up. Prove it on December 9. One punch is enough to put you on the canvas. I don’t need one hundred punches and kicks to win a fight. One is more than enough and he knows that.”

During the closing staredown, the two giants kept going at it verbally and Cor Hemmers, GLORY’s head of talent operations and managing director sports, had to separate both parties.

That’s when Ben Saddik made a spitting motion, which prompted tensions to flare even more.

With help from security and Nick Hemmers, Ben Saddik’s coach, both men were separated without blows. Following that, Verhoeven told FunX that “The Goliath” spat at him:

“A staredown becomes fierce when somebody is nervous or loses control. That happened. He lost control and then you’re gonna say and do things. He even spat. That’s when I thought: What are you doing?’ We’re athletes, right?”

Ben Saddik didn’t confirm nor deny he spat: “I don’t know. Maybe I talked too loud and some saliva came out.”

The fight is scheduled to take place on December 9 in Ahoy Rotterdam.

Ben Saddik fined

The next day, Ben Saddik was fined by GLORY for unsportsmanlike conduct. GLORY vice-chairman and Co-Founder Scott Rudmann announced through Twitter.

“This is unacceptable conduct, & will not be tolerated from any GLORY athlete,” Rudmann tweeted.