Wisse Fights Bokeme for Middleweight Gold Saturday

It’s a busy Saturday in combat sports. Between MMA and kickboxing, three title fights will be handed out before you turn out the lights and go to sleep Saturday night. It starts in the ring where GLORY Kickboxing is back in action for the only time in the month of May.

This time around, GLORY sets up shop in Rotterdam, The Netherlands for GLORY 92 Saturday afternoon (US time) at RTM Stage. Live coverage kicks off at 12:30 pm ET/ 9:30 am PT with the undercard on Stadium and Bally Live! inside the United States, along with the promotion’s official YouTube channel. Stadium itself will stream the card in Canada.

In France and Belgium, GLORY 92 will be streamed on DAZN, while the majority of the world will see the card on pay-per-view over triller.tv for $10.99 (USD). The main card begins at 2 pm ET/ 11 am PT on the above-mentioned platforms.

It has already been a big week for GLORY Kickboxing and you don’t necessarily need to wait around until the weekend to watch some fights. On Monday, GLORY’s FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channel launched on Shawne Merriman’s new Lights Out Sports streaming service, which will also show LXF 16 on Saturday night.

Middleweight Supremacy on the Line Saturday in GLORY 92 Main Event

All told, barring any postponements between now and Saturday, the final version of GLORY 92 will feature 10 matches. Highlighting the card is the first of three title fights on the day in the GLORY 92 main event.

Incumbent GLORY Kickboxing Middleweight Champion Donovan Wisse (20-1 kickboxing (10-1 GLORY) meets challenger and No. 1 contender Ulric Bokeme (32-4 kickboxing, 2-2 GLORY) for the title. As with all GLORY championship fights, the GLORY 92 main event is an advertised maximum of five rounds at three minutes per round to close the show.

Like always, the three-knockdown rule will be in effect for the entirety of GLORY 92 on Saturday. Should a fighter knock down his or her opponent three times in a round or four times in a fight, that contestant is declared the winner by TKO.

Fight Week is here! #GLORY92 pic.twitter.com/Cb9VKLCWGF

— GLORY Kickboxing (@GLORY_WS) May 13, 2024

GLORY 92 Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into the GLORY 92 main event on Saturday afternoon, challenger Ulric Bokeme stands as the taller gladiator at 6-foot-3, compared to the 6-foot-2 frame of champion Donovan Wisse. No reach advantage information was accessible online at press time.

Additionally, no betting odds were accessible at press time for this card. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

Wisse Looking to Run Winning Streak to an Even 10

Champion Donovan Wisse enters the GLORY 92 main event having gone 5-0 in his last five fights as part of a longer nine-fight winning streak including three successful title defenses. Last November, he bested Michael Boapeah (16-4-1, 6-3 GLORY) in GLORY Collision 6 by unanimous decision to retain his strap.

After the fight, Wisse talked about taking the contest on short notice.

“It was a war, but I trained hard,” Wisse began. “I was sick. I took the fight on short notice. It was a short camp, seven weeks. Mostly, I have 10 weeks but it worked out for today, and next time, I will be more prepared.”

This is a man who has seldom lost inside the ring in recent years. Had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent adjustments to the GLORY schedule in 2020, his winning streak may already be in double digits before the GLORY 92 main event this weekend.

Will Age Be a Factor for Ulric Bokeme in GLORY 92 Main Event?

In the other corner, challenger Ulric Bokeme has posted a mark of 3-2 in his last five fights. Most recently, he scored a unanimous decision victory over Serkan Ozcaglyan (45-11 kickboxing, 4-3 GLORY) in the selfsame GLORY Collision 6 last November.

Unlike his opponent, however, Bokeme has encountered some trouble in the ring of late. He hasn’t had a sustained winning streak since a three-fight run from May to December of 2018. After, he won two in a row between December of 2019 and June of 2022, with a lengthy hiatus caused by COVID in-between.

Another plot point to consider is the fact that Bokeme is over six years the elder of Donovan Wisse at the age of 33, while Wisse just turned 27 in February. Only time will tell if that plays a role on Saturday.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

It’s another strength vs. strength matchup in the GLORY 92 main event on Saturday. Who will emerge victorious?

Look for Donovan Wisse to Vary His Strikes

Donovan Wisse hasn’t always been a flashy fighter in the ring, but the highlight-reel performances aren’t everything in combat sports. During his rematch against Cesar Almeida last year (the fight was a nontitle affair after Almeida failed to make weight the day before at the weigh-ins,) he chopped Almeida’s legs like trees in the forest, converting on all 16 such strikes in the first round.

Even though Almeida returned fire with shots of his own, Wisse switched to a southpaw stance to compensate while absorbing calf kicks. Once the fight got to the third round, Wisse was throwing punches exclusively due to his leg being compromised.

The left-handed punches won him the fight, along with his defense against calf kicks down the stretch. If Donovan Wisse can bring out the mixed bag on Saturday, he’ll defend the title for a fourth time with ease.

Look for Ulric Bokeme to Take Control Right From the Opening Bell

In the other corner, Ulric Bokeme has to be able to come out like a house on fire in the GLORY 92 main event on Saturday. Knocking Donovan Wisse off of his gameplan and getting him behind the 8-ball early will be paramount, like it was against Kevin van Heeckeren in 2019 on the Superfights right before the second GLORY Collision show.

Immediately after the command to fight was given, Bokeme threw and landed a variety of shots, including hooks to the body. Bokeme’s plan of attack during the opening round was predicated on body shots, with combinations thrown in for good measure in round two.

Bokeme can neutralize Wisse if he goes to the body on Saturday in the GLORY 92 main event. He’ll walk out as the new champion if he applies the pressure.

Final Thoughts

Expect an amazing five rounds of action in the GLORY 92 main event. The winner will have truly earned the title.

Prediction: Donovan Wisse by Unanimous Decision.