Jamal Ben Saddik Leaves GLORY, Signs with Melvin Manhoef’s WFL for Debut in Antwerp
Jamal Ben Saddik has left GLORY and signed with World Fighting League, the kickboxing and MMA promotion led by former fighter Melvin Manhoef. The Belgian-Moroccan heavyweight is set to make his WFL debut on October 3 at Lotto Arena in his hometown of Antwerp, with an opponent still to be announced. The news was first reported by FSI247.
Ben Saddik will be part of WFL’s “Final 16” event, which begins a heavyweight tournament with eight fighters competing across four bouts. The October show serves as the first stage of the format, and WFL now has one of the best-known heavyweight names in European kickboxing on its roster.
Jamal Ben Saddik Leaves GLORY
The move ends a long association with GLORY that began in 2012. Ben Saddik, 35, became one of the promotion’s most recognizable heavyweights over more than a decade, using his size, pressure and finishing ability to build a following across Belgium, the Netherlands and Morocco.
Standing 2.05 metres tall and listed around 117.5 kilograms, Ben Saddik was among the largest active fighters in GLORY. The promotion lists him with a 9-0 GLORY knockout figure across 12 wins, while his career résumé includes victories over Rico Verhoeven, Benjamin Adegbuyi, Junior Tafa, Guto Inocente, Errol Zimmerman and Remy Bonjasky.
His defining night came at GLORY 62 in Rotterdam in December 2018. Ben Saddik beat Tafa by knockout, edged Inocente on points and stopped Adegbuyi in the first round to win the GLORY Heavyweight Tournament. That run cemented his place as a central figure in the division.
Known as “The Goliath,” Ben Saddik has often brought an event-level feel to heavyweight cards. His trilogy with Verhoeven helped shape GLORY’s modern heavyweight scene: Ben Saddik knocked out Verhoeven in their 2017 rematch, while Verhoeven won their other two meetings, including their 2021 title fight at GLORY Collision 3.
He returned to the ring in February 2025 after more than two years away, and GLORY described him at the time as one of the sport’s most popular heavyweights. The next chapter will now play out under the WFL banner.
Manhoef’s WFL has added a local headliner for a major Antwerp venue and a fighter whose name carries weight well beyond Belgium. The promotion has scheduled further events after October 3, and Ben Saddik gives its heavyweight plans an immediate focal point.
The unanswered question is who takes the other corner on October 3. Whoever WFL selects will face a proven tournament winner with a long history in elite heavyweight kickboxing, competing in front of a home-city crowd.
