Perry "small-town" Port
For the first time since losing his featherweight belt at Glory 25, Gabriel Varga (26-3 Overall, 5-2 Glory) will be returning to the Glory ring this Saturday (June 25). His opponent will be the current featherweight champion and the man who stripped Varga of the belt, Serhiy Adamchuk (33-5 Overall, 5-0 Glory). The rematch will be the main event at Glory 32, in Norfolk, Virginia (July 22).
The Superfight Series will also continue in Norfolk. Chi Lewis-Parry will square off with Maurice Green in a fight that’s apt to end early, while Francois Ambang meets Glory rookie Marcus Fisher.
Gabriel Varga (4/5) vs Serhiy Adamchuk (5/4)
The original fight between these two was a pretty dry affair that came down to a decision. Despite the decision being unanimous, it was met with heavy criticism, as Varga had landed far more punches and kicks than the challenger. Adamchuk clenched and grabbed throughout, and many expected him to be penalised for it. The judges, however, thought otherwise.
Since winning the featherweight title, the Ukrainian (who also owns an 11-5 MMA record) successfully defended his belt against Mosab Amrani at Glory 28 in March. The win marked the first successful featherweight title defense in Glory history. Adamchuk then stepped up on short notice at Glory 29 to fight lightweight Mohammed El-Mir, winning by decision.
Varga’s last professional fight came earlier in mid-January in a Hero Legends event against Liu Wei, a match the Canadian won by unanimous decision. After a disappointing decision the first time he faced Adamchuk, you can bet Varga won’t want to leave anything for the judges to decide in his much anticipated rematch.
After their first fight, Adamchuk admitted to not having the internet to scout his opponents, which makes his victory a little more impressive. Scouting won’t be an issue in the rematch and he should come in with a better strategy. In spite of that, after appearing to dominate the first bout, Varga comes into this one as the slight 4/5 favorite.
Pick: Gabriel Varga
Chi Lewis-Parry vs Maurice Greene
The loquacious Lewis-Parry (6-1 Overall, 2-1 Glory), best known for his feud with ex-UFC fighter Brandon Vera, comes into this fight ranked eighth in the heavyweight division. The heavyweight from the United Kingdom is known for his lightning-quick knockouts, but there are questions about his stamina and potential rust. (He hasn’t competed in Glory since May 2015.)
Greene (4-2 Overall, 1-1 Glory) models himself after the iconic Anderson Silva, and his movement in the ring shows that. For a 6’9″ heavyweight, Greene is very light on his feet. During his short career in Glory, “The Pirate” has shown that he can take a punch, something he may need to prove again this Saturday.
If Greene can dance around Lewis-Parry’s ferocious uppercuts and avoid being knocked out in the first-round, he will have a great chance to pull off the upset. Regardless of who wins, all signs are pointing to one of these men ending up on his back. I’ll side with the underdog to end it in the second-round, after his opponent is gassed.
Pick: Maurice Greene
Francois Ambang vs Marcus Fisher
In his first professional fight, the unknown challenger, Marcus Fisher (0-0 Overall), will square off against Francois Ambang (15-6 Overall, 3-4 Glory), a man who cites his poor African childhood as his motivation. Fisher may become a YouTube sensation if he stands in the way of one of Ambang’s devastating right-hooks.
I see Ambang knocking out his challenger in the first-round, and propeling himself into the top-ten of the welterweight rankings for the first time in his career.
Pick: Francois Ambang
(Photo Credit: Vargabros (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.)
