{"id":163705,"date":"2025-09-23T14:50:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T14:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/163705\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T14:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T14:50:07","slug":"glory-kickboxing-champion-officially-gets-opponent-for-first-mma-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/163705\/","title":{"rendered":"GLORY kickboxing champion officially gets opponent for first MMA fight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_66jh9ms5g\">Former GLORY kickboxing champion Tyjani Beztati officially has an opponent for his highly-anticipated MMA debut. <\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_dby69530k\">\u201cThe Wonderboy\u201d made combat sports headlines a few weeks ago by announcing that he was moving on from kickboxing and GLORY <a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/kickboxing-tyjani-beztati-follow-ufc-stars-adesanya-pereira-mma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">to pursue a career in MMA<\/a>, with his first fight set to take place at Levels Fight League 20 on November 2. <\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_9pm0oaol0\">LFL 20 will take place at Mediahaven in Amsterdam, and the Dutch promotion has finally revealed that Beztati will square off with Italo Julio for his first MMA outing. <\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_0arcuwu46\">Beztati vs. Julio will meet at lightweight and feature as the co-main event bout for LFL 20, with UFC veteran Jarno Errens set to try and defend his featherweight belt for the first time against Joziro Boye in the night\u2019s main event.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_avtqohqer\">READ MORE: <a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-rio-card-updated-with-late-replacement-set-to-challenge-veteran-finisher\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC Rio card updated with late replacement set to challenge veteran finisher<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_j3fgfv04b\">Currently on an unbeaten run in kickboxing that began after his second GLORY lightweight title shot against Marat Grigorian in 2019, Beztati rebounded from that loss the following year before he finally claimed GLORY\u2019s lightweight belt by defeating Elvis Gashi at GLORY 78. <\/p>\n<p><img class=\"base_1emrqjj-o_O-initial_fzbddc-o_O-style_1a1csmw-o_O-style_e296pg\" alt=\"Tyjani Beztati during his time with GLORY kickboxing.\" title=\"Tyjani Beztati during his time with GLORY kickboxing.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Tyjani Beztati during his time with GLORY kickboxing. \/ (GLORY Kickboxing)<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_9ufck2ep1\">The 27-year-old ended up winning eight fights in a row and defended his lightweight belt on four occasions before fighting to a split draw in a double-champ bid against GLORY Welterweight Champion Chico Kwasi last October, and the pair once again fought to the same result when they met in a rematch in May. <\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_ivim2qktf\">Standing across from Beztati on November 2 will be nine-fight MMA veteran Julio, who actually also competed in kickboxing in his most recent outing in June and suffered a loss at the hands of Michal Bemben.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_1ocz31vvg\">READ MORE: <a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-melvin-guillard-11-fight-losing-streak-retires-mma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC veteran ends 11-fight losing streak, retires after 59-fight MMA career<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_6qyp2nls9\">\u201cCyborg\u201d began his MMA career in 2017 and scored back-to-back wins in his native Brazil before he made his LFL debut in 2023 and was stopped in the first round by Ammari Diedrick. Julio rebounded with a first-round submission against Ivan Krajinovic in Brazil\u2019s Centurion FC, but a loss to Teddy Stringer in Cage Warriors kicked off what has now become a five-fight MMA losing streak and eight-fight losing streak overall including a pair of Muay Thai bouts and his recent kickboxing fight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_ldy2gim2q\">Combat sports fans will have high expectations for Beztati\u2019s MMA debut on November 2, and it will be interesting to see how active \u201cThe Wonderboy\u201d decides to be in 2026 after kicking off his new career path against Julio at LFL 20. <\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_uhx9p8i01\">\u2022\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mma-fans-compare-viral-heavyweight-to-brock-lesnar-after-yet-another-finish\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMA fans compare viral fighter to Brock Lesnar after yet another finish<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_15tfo81gs\">\u2022\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-qatar-adds-two-more-fights-main-event-news\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC Qatar reportedly adds two more fights as UFC fans wait on main event news<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_eckkfgrpl\">\u2022\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/daniel-cormier-backs-jon-jones-amid-dana-white-hesitancy-ufc-white-house-card\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Daniel Cormier backs Jon Jones amid Dana White&#8217;s hesitancy for UFC White House card <\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_vcnnxffcr\">\u2022\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mateusz-gamrot-torches-charles-oliveira-ufc-rio-main-event\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Lightweight rival torches Charles Oliveira in callout for UFC Rio main event<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_2to4ckdng\">Stick with\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMAKnockout<\/a>\u00a0for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_mxvz7o-o_O-style_12bse5w-o_O-style_6s3kpz\" data-mm-id=\"_wvk9vii2m\">Follow MMAKnockout on\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MMAKnockoutSI\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/UFCKnockout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0<a class=\"tagStyle_16dbupz-o_O-style_gsswpw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mmaknockoutsi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Former GLORY kickboxing champion Tyjani Beztati officially has an opponent for his highly-anticipated MMA debut. \u201cThe Wonderboy\u201d made&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":163706,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,785,85],"class_list":["post-163705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fighting","tag-mma","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163705"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163705\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=163705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=163705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}