Coach: Tournament newcomer Roberson “is going to go places”

With yesterday's news that Joe Schilling and Mike Lemaire are to face off in the headline fight of the GLORY 27 CHICAGO 'Superfight Series' card, the original four-man Middleweight Contender Tournament line-up gets a change.

The first semi-final match between Wayne Barrett and Robert Thomas remains in place, but the second semi-final sees Mike Lemaire replace by Karl Roberson in a fight against Dustin Jacoby.

Fans may remember that Roberson was originally lined up to face Pat 'HD' Barry at GLORY 24 DENVER back in October before that match was cancelled due to Barry sustaining an injury in training.

That fight had been due to take place at heavyweight; Roberson was not long removed from a heavyweight bout with kickboxing legend Jerome Le Banner. He accepted that match on very short notice, hence the weight, but middleweight is his more usual competition weight.

The fight with Le Banner was Roberson’s professional kickboxing debut. He should have won by stoppage but for a controversial refereeing incident which saw Le Banner receive one uncounted knockdown and then have a “ten count” which lasted 24 seconds when he was knocked down for a second time.

“I have complained to the commission but I don't expect anything to come of it,” says Wright. “After the fight, we learned the referee, the head of the commission and Le Banner – all French guys – had all gone on vacation together. So, it is what it is, but Karl should have won that fight by KO.”

Nonetheless, the fight means that Roberson is now a two-sport athlete, competitive in both kickboxing and MMA, and thus has that in common with Jacoby, a UFC veteran who has undergone an incredible journey of transformation in the GLORY ring, from heavy-handed brawler to technically-solid striker.

“Jacoby and Roberson are both fighters who go for the finish and with this match being the first stage of the tournament, both of them will want to be in and out as quickly as possible, to save energy for the next round. An early finish is very likely,” says Cor Hemmers, GLORY matchmaker and Head of Talent Operations.

Roberson’s coach Brian Wright, head trainer at Killer B Combat Sports Academy in New Jersey, believes his fighter to be 'one to watch'.

“We know what we have got here with Karl. We know what kind of athlete he is and when there is an opportunity like this to kind of jump to the head of the line we are like ‘hey, yeah, we will take that’,” he said back when the Barry fight at GLORY 24 was being lined up.

“Karl also wants to fight in the UFC at some point so that is definitely somewhere we want to be in the future, depending how things go with GLORY. He wants that middleweight title; after this fight with Barry he is going to 187lbs and going after it, he wants to take that belt from Levin. We’re looking for the big opportunities, wherever they are.

“Karl is a freak, at 24 years old and with so few fights he is taking on much more experienced opponents and doing well. It makes me laugh because we say it all the time in the gym, 'Who is Karl Roberson?' - his skill level is so far beyond his level of profile, he’s going to go places. We know it, we’re just in the process of watching that happen.”

That fight with Barry never happened, but now Roberson gets his chance at middleweight all the same. All he has to do is win the tournament – no small order of course – and he will get a shot at the belt, which is being contested in the evening's headline fight between Levin and Simon Marcus.

GLORY 27 Chicago airs live on ESPN3 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, Feb. 26, with replays on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Sunday, Feb. 28 and ESPN Deportes at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Monday, March 7.

The official air time for GLORY SuperFight Series Chicago will be announced at a later date.

Tickets for GLORY 27 Chicago and GLORY SuperFight Series Chicago are priced at $200, $100, $60 and $35. Tickets are available for purchase at searscentre.com and the Sears Centre Arena box office.