Gabriel Varga kicking Yodkhunpon Sitmonchai

By Kelsey Mowatt

This Friday, Gabriel Varga will look to defend GLORY’s featherweight title against Serhiy Adamchuk, and while he wasn’t overly familiar with the Ukrainian fighter before, the champ is now.

Adamchuk has been tapped to face Varga at the November 6th card, after joining the kickboxing promotion this past June. At GLORY 22, Adamchuk worked his way to a decision win over Marat Grigorian and most recently in September, he decisioned Anvar Boynazarov.

Initially, Adamchuk was scheduled to challenge Varga at Bellator and GLORY’s “Dynamite” card in September, but the latter had to pull out due to injury. The fight was rebooked for GLORY 25, which will take place in Milan, Italy.

Recently Varga appeared on Full Contact Fighter Radio, and while discussing Adamchuk, the champ relayed this:

“Ya. He sort of popped out of nowhere, because I hadn’t really heard of him too much before he had his two GLORY fights,” the Canadian relayed. “But after I knew I maybe fighting him I just started researching and taking a look, and he’s definitely experienced.”

Adamachuk heads into GLORY 25 having put together a 30-5 overall record. Varga, meanwhile, will step into the ring having gone  26-2.

“Everybody I fight now is really good,” Varga added. “People go ‘oh, is this going to be an easy fight?’ And I go no. No fight is easy. I don’t think at any point with K-1 or GLORY you’re going to get an easy fight, unless they’re trying to build you up or something.”

“Especially once you’re the champion everybody’s going to be hard,” furthered Varga, who won the featherweight title in April by defeating Mosab Amrani. “I always train like it’s going to be the hardest fight that I’ve ever had, and then you’re prepared. I’ve watched all of his footage and seen what he’s about, formatted a game plan. Same thing I always do really; you give the fighter the respect they deserve and don’t take anything for granted right?”

GLORY 25 will be headlined by a lightweight bout between champion Robin van Roosmalen and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong.

In the co-headliner, Josh Jauncey will battle fellow lightweight contender, Giorgio Petrosyan.