Chris ‘Bad News’ Baya laid claim to a title shot in explosive fashion when he crushed his opponent in the first round of their contest at GLORY 49 this past December.
The win, combined with his victory in a four-man tournament earlier in the year, confirmed his ascent into the contender ranks. He is now 4-0 in the organization and looking for a fifth win to make him champion next month.
Standing opposite Baya (60-5-1) in the main event of the GLORY 50 CHICAGO Superfight Series card will be Thai lightweight champion Sitthichai (114-30-5).
With a 7-1 record in GLORY, two tournament wins and two successful title defenses to his name, Sitthichai is pound-for-pound one of the most dominant fighters in the sport today.
His only loss in GLORY is a controversial decision awarded to Robin van Roosmalen in their first fight, at GLORY 25 MILAN. Sitthichai got the win in a rematch at GLORY 31, finally securing the lightweight title.
Sitthichai’s first defense of the title was at GLORY COLLISION, a rematch with perennial Marat Grigorian. As in their previous meetings, Sitthichai had the edge and was able to secure the win.
He followed that with a defense against Dylan Salvador at GLORY 39 BRUSSELS, taking the French fighter into deep waters before finishing the fight with a trademark knee to the body late in the fourth round.
Grigorian is one of the division’s bigger, stronger fighters. Baya not only brings the same physicality, he is perhaps the hardest-hitting lightweight in the world at present.
Sitthichai prides himself on being able to solve any problem put in front of him. Baya prides himself on being able to stop anyone who gets in the ring with him. Only one of them will be proved right on fight night.
GLORY 50 CHICAGO takes place Friday, February 16 at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago.
The SuperFight Series section of the card streams live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m PT.
