Glory and formerly Glory World Series is an international kickboxing promotion company founded in 2012 by Glory Sports International Pte Ltd. partners Pierre Andurand, Scott Rudmann and Total Sports Asia. The company has its headquarters in Singapore and international offices in Denver USA and Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Video Glory (kickboxing)
History
When K-1, historically the world's premier kickboxing organization, began suffering from extreme financial difficulties in 2011, Total Sports Asia, TSA CEO Marcus Luer, London-based French investor Pierre Andurand, and Scott Rudmann of Nectar Capital attempted to buy the brand. When K-1 was instead sold to Gunil "Mike" Kim and EMCOM Entertainment Inc., Pierre Andurand, TSA, and the other investors decided to start a brand new label and kickboxing organisation called GLORY, and bought United Glory, Golden Glory and It's Showtime in order to secure a top event production team, and to secure all the top fighters in the world. Scott Rudmann was named vice-chairman and has since become an integral part of GLORY's success as an organization.
The name GLORY has caused some confusion to arise as to Golden Glory's role with the new organization. GLORY has clarified that Golden Glory, like the It's Showtime organization, was bought and absorbed, and not the other way around. A number of people formerly involved with It's Showtime, the Golden Glory team and the United Glory event became GLORY consultants, though Simon Rutz, the founder and former owner of It's Showtime, has departed the company.
GSI signed most of the world's top kickboxers such as Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasky, Semmy Schilt, Gokhan Saki, Daniel Ghi??, Albert Kraus, Giorgio Petrosyan, Yoshihiro Sato
Maps Glory (kickboxing)
Business
GLORY Sports International has its offices in UK, Netherlands, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and US. The company includes unprecedented mix of accomplished entrepreneurs and senior level executives from the diverse worlds of finance, sports marketing, television, technology and martial arts fighting. The company's investors include Yao Capital, the investment arm of Chinese basketball star Yao Ming, cable TV company Liberty Global, and TwinFocus Capital Partners of Boston.
In November 2012, GLORY entered into a partnership with the ONE Championship mixed martial arts promotions to share fighters.
In February 2013, GLORY announced former WWE Executive VP Andrew Whitaker to the position of the global CEO of Glory Sports International.
In June 2013, after having an inaugural first event in USA at NY (Glory 9: New York) on June 22, 2013, SPIKE TV signed a multi-year agreement to broadcast GLORY kickboxing events.
In August 2014, GLORY announced Jon J Franklin has been appointed as new CEO of Glory Sports International, after broadcast deal extended with Spike TV in May 2014 to cover 2015. Glory has seen unprecedented growth through 2017 under Jon J Franklin doubling the number of TV shows and with initiation of partnerships with the UFC for PPV events and on UFC Fightpass tekevision.
In February 2016, Jon Franklin and GLORY announced a new multi-year deal with ESPN.
For 2017 the Glory schedule has increased to 18 events and production of around 100 TV shows.
Events
Champions
Current champions
Glory Heavyweight Championship
+95 kg (+209.4 lb)
Glory Light Heavyweight Championship
-95 kg (-209.4 lb)
Glory Middleweight Championship
-85 kg (-187.4 lb)
Glory Welterweight Championship
-77 kg (-169.8 lb)
Glory Lightweight Championship
-70 kg (-154.3 lb)
Glory Featherweight Championship
-65 kg (-143.3 lb)
Glory Women's Super Bantamweight Championship
-55.3 kg (-122 lb)
Tournament champions
Contender Tournament champions
Qualification Tournament winners
Road to Glory Tournament Champions
Notable fighters
Featherweight (-65 kg/143.3 lb)
Lightweight (-70 kg/154.3 lb)
Welterweight (-77 kg/169.8 lb)
Middleweight (-85 kg/187.4 lb)
Light Heavyweight (-95 kg/209.4 lb)
Heavyweight (+95 kg/209.4 lb)
See also
- Golden Glory
References
External links
- Official website
- Glory on Twitter
- Glory on Facebook
Source of the article : Wikipedia