
MIAMI, FLORIDA â April 23, 2025 â GLORY, the world's leading kickboxing organization and one of the world's top combat sports properties, has joined forces with Betr Holdings Inc. (Betr), a leading sports gaming and media company, to launch GLORY Underground: Powered by Betrâa groundbreaking, invite-only kickboxing event series poised to revolutionize the sports entertainment landscape. Ahead of the landmark event on Thursday, May 1 at the Betr headquarters in Miami, Betr creators Derek âBetr Derekâ Sullivan and Joey âBetr JoJoâ Mauriello travelled to the Netherlands to take part in a viral surprise storyline that sent shockwaves through the combat sports universe. Following their trip, the full five-fight card was officially unveiled, featuring some of GLORYâs biggest names.
On April Foolsâ Day, April 1, Derek teased that heâd be heading to the Netherlands to sign a deal with GLORY as a fighter (see post HERE) âsetting social media ablaze as GLORY confirmed via socials that he was a new signing (see post HERE). Known for his explosive viral moments with the likes of Jake Paul, Sean O'Malley, Nate Diaz, and Israel Adesanya, Derek has spent the last few years building hype around a potential entry into combat sports. Chasing the dream of entering his combat sports career, Derek and Jojo were flown to Glory 99 in the Netherlands under the impression heâd be stepping into the ringâonly to discover he was signing on as a coach for GLORY Underground: Powered by Betr (see post HERE). With rival coach JoJo ready to draft his own fighters and battle Derek for ultimate bragging rights, the stage is set for a head-to-head clash packed with raw emotion, high-intensity training, and next-level coaching drama. The event will stream live on GLORYâs YouTube beginning at 7 pm on Thursday, May 1.Â
Headlining the first high-octane event of the partnership is a highly anticipated champion vs. champion rematch with GLORY welterweight world champion Chico Kwasi (44-5-1, 23 KO) set to defend his title against GLORY lightweight world champion Tyjani âThe Wonderboyâ Beztati (27-4-1, 9 KO). The two 27-year-old fighters last faced off at GLORY 96 in October 2024 in a tense encounter that resulted in a draw, leaving fans eager for a definitive conclusion to their rivalry. As Kwasi and Beztati step into the ring once again, the stakes have never been higher, and viewers can anticipate an unforgettable battle to determine who will emerge as the undisputed champion.
A thrilling light heavyweight contest will be featured in the co-main event as Romaniaâs Stefan âGolden Boyâ Latescu (17-6, 8 KO) takes on the number one ranked middleweight Michael âTimebombâ Boapeah (20-4-1, 8 KO). Latescu, 23, is known for being one of the most explosive & dynamic punchers in the division while Boapeah, 24, recently made a huge splash in his light heavyweight debut this past February winning by KO in the third round. This contest pits two of kickboxingâs new generational talents and is guaranteed to provide fireworks on Thursday, May 1.
 Other announced fights include growing social media starlet Don Sno (5-2, 3 KO), who is fresh off an emphatic KO victory in February, against the experienced & always entertaining Younes Smaili (42-3, 19 KO), United States champion Gary âThe Silverbackâ Mack (21-2-1, 7 KO) taking on Florida-based Serbian powerhouse Andrija Stankovic (27-4, 14 KO), and an all-American heavyweight clash between Delvin Nichols (1-2) and the Alex Pereira inspired US amateur champion Demitri Lyman (0-0).
 Betr and GLORYâs partnership marks an innovative step forward for GLORY as it leans into Betrâs cutting-edge approach to original content creation and audience engagement. The invite-only spectacle at the Betr headquarters in Miami, FL on Thursday, May 1 will host approximately 100 elite attendees, including influencers, athletes, and celebrities. This dynamic event will be followed by the second installment of the partnership series, set to take place in late summer 2025. Future event dates and fight cards featuring some of the worldâs best stand-up strikers and newly signed GLORY talent will be announced soon.Â
 âWeâre thrilled to partner with Betr to introduce a groundbreaking evolution in combat sports entertainment,â said Marshall Zelaznik, CEO of GLORY. âWith GLORY Underground: Powered by Betr, weâre merging world-class kickboxing with creator-driven storytelling in a way thatâs never been done before. GLORY Underground is where sport, entertainment, and culture collideâcreating a next-generation combat experience like no other. We're embracing innovation by showcasing elite fight talent in a raw, immersive setting and amplifying it through cutting-edge content platforms.â
 âGLORY and Betr are coming together to deliver an entirely new kind of combat sports experience, and Derek and JoJo are the perfect catalysts for that vision,â said Mike Denevi, Head of Media at Betr. âWith GLORY Underground: Powered by Betr, weâre combining elite-level kickboxing with creator-led storytelling to create viral, authentic moments that connect with new audiences. This event, coached by our lead creators Derek and JoJo, marks a new era of sports entertainment, and it all kicks off Thursday, May 1, streaming live for free on GLORYâs YouTube channel.â
 For more information, visit https://glorykickboxing.com/ or follow @betr on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. To learn more about responsible play, please visit betr.app/responsibility.
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GLORY Underground: Miami Fight Cardâ¨
Betr Warehouse | Thursday, May 1
Main Eventâ¨
GLORY Welterweight World Title
Champion Chico Kwasi (44-5-1, 23 KO) vs. #1 Tyjani Beztati (27-4-1, 9 KO)
Co-Main Eventâ¨
Light Heavyweightâ¨
#6 Stefan Latescu (17-6, 8 KO) vs. Michael Boapeah (20-4-1, 8 KO)
Welterweightâ¨
Don Sno (5-2, 3 KO) vs. Younes Smaili (42-3, 19 KO)
Welterweightâ¨
Gary Mack (21-2-1, 7 KO) vs. Andrija Stankovic (27-4, 14 KO)
Heavyweightâ¨
Delvin Nichols (1-2) vs. Demitri Lyman (0-0)
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About BetrÂ
Founded in 2022 by Joey Levy and Jake Paul, Betr is a leading sports gaming and media company focused on enhancing the consumption of sports through entertainment. Betr's gaming products are differentiated through a unique product experience with a simplified user interface that is catered to the casual sports fan, enabling Betr to capture more of the underpenetrated online gaming addressable market. Despite launching only a year and a half ago, Betr Picks already has hundreds of thousands of paying users and is one of the fastest-growing product in the industry. Betr's media division, Betr Media, is one of the fastest-growing sports betting media brand in the United States that has grown to over 8.7 million followers, 6 billion impressions, and over 300 million engagements across its social channels since launch. Betr Media is able to effectively reach and engage its audience at scale given its large social following and emphasis on talent led short-form original content.
About GLORYÂ
Founded in 2012, GLORY is the global leader in kickboxing and home to the world's most elite stand-up fighters. GLORY's ruleset generates the most thrilling form of combat sports with non-stop action from start to finish. Since launching, GLORY has organized over one hundred world-class kickboxing events in major arenas across the United States, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, and over a dozen countries across the globe. Â
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The GLORY roster features the worldâs top kickboxing athletes and the most exciting & skilled stand-up fighters, including 'The King of Kickboxing' Rico Verhoeven, Tarik Khbabez, Levi Rigters, Antonio Plazibat, Bahram Rajabzadeh, Donovan Wisse, Chico Kwasi, Tyjani Beztati, and many others.Â