GLORY is on a search for American stand-up fighting talent like Ky Hollenbeck (left). Photo credit: Ben Pontier/GLORY

By FCF Staff

World championship stand-up fighting league GLORY has announced the beginning of a search for hungry,  young American talent to compete in its upcoming “ROAD TO GLORY” fight series, which will award the winners of eight-man tournaments in six different weight classes with a one-year contract to compete in its championship fight series that awards up to $600,000 in prize money

According to today’s announcement, ROAD TO GLORY will kick off with six events in the U.S. over the first five months of 2013. Each ROAD TO GLORY USA event will be comprised of a one-night, single-elimination, eight-man tournament in one of GLORY’s six different weight divisions, with fighters who hail from The U.S., and possibly Mexico, Canada and Brazil. The total prize money for each of these ROAD TO GLORY USA tournaments will be US$ 34,000, with the winner taking home US  $20,000.

The dates and locations of the ROAD TO GLORY events are slated to be announced soon by the league.

GLORY is encouraging fighters between the ages of 19 and 28 to their bios (must include height, fighting weight, date of birth, city and state or province where fighting out of, gym affiliation, complete professional fighting record (if applicable), complete amateur fighting record (if applicable) and a video file or link to an online video containing fight footage from one or more previous bouts, to GLORY Ambassador and fighter relations executive Cor Hemmers at cor@gloryworldseries.com.

“Every fighter dreams of being a champion and ROAD TO GLORY is the first step on that path,” said Hemmers, a renowned trainer of numerous champions, multi-time world Muay Thai champion Ramon Dekkers and UFC superstar and former K-1 World Grand Prix Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem, in today’s announcement.

“GLORY fighters are, without a doubt, the best stand-up fighters in the world with striking abilities that are unrivalled in any other combative sport.  But, ROAD TO GLORY is not open only to athletes from kickboxing or Muay Thai backgrounds. Competitors from boxing, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Karate, Taekwondo, Capoeira, and Kung-Fu backgrounds are also encouraged to participate. This series is open to any athlete who believes in himself and is confident he has what it takes to succeed in GLORY,” Hemmers said.

GLORY’s six weight classes are flyweight (143 pounds), lightweight (154 pounds), welterweight (170 pounds), middleweight (187 pounds), light heavyweight (209 pounds), heavyweight (above 209 pounds).