Ilunga replaces Vakhitov in Light-Heavyweight Contender Tournament

Danyo ‘Dibuba’ Ilunga (55-5, 43 KO’s) has joined the GLORY 18 Light-Heavyweight Contender Tournament line-up.

The ranked #1 replaces Russian talent Artem Vakhitov, who has withdrawn for undisclosed reasons, and will face Brazilian banger Saulo Cavalari (28-2, 18 KO’s) in his stead.

With the winner of the Light-Heavyweight Contender Tournament going forward to get a shot at the title, Ilunga could not be happier to step in.

“I have been #1 in this weight category for a long time. Then when Gokhan Saki and Tyrone Spong came down from heavyweight I was pushed down the rankings. But I am the real #1 and I want my place back,” says Ilunga.

“If you saw my last fight you saw what I can do. I want to do the same in this tournament . And then I want to get that title belt and put it where it really belongs - around my waist.”

Ilunga is 6-0 in GLORY with three wins inside the distance, 3-1 in his last four outings and riding a two-fight win streak with back-to-back stoppages inside the distance.

Cavalari is 2-1 in GLORY with one of the wins by way of stoppage. His thundering KO of Mourad Bouzidi was a contender for Knockout of the Year 2013.

He goes into the fight off the back of a decision loss to Tyrone Spong in the GLORY 15 Istanbul Light-Heavyweight World Championship Tournament.

“Danyo Ilunga is one of the top talents in this weight class and is very hungry to get back to the top spot he once had,” observed Cor Hemmers, GLORY matchmaker and Head of Talent Operations.

“Saulo Cavalari is also hungry. He is from a poor background in Brazil and his career means everything to him. His performance against Spong marked him as a future contender so this is going to be a really tough and interesting fight for this division.”

In the other semi-final match of the tournament, Zack Mwekassa (11-1, 10 KO’s) - coming off a first-round KO win over Pat ‘HD’ Barry - takes on American Muay Thai stylist Brian ‘The Lion’ Collette (21-2, 18 KO’s), also coming off a KO victory in his last GLORY outing.

GLORY 18: RETURN TO GLORY takes place Friday November 7 at the Grand Casino Hotel and Resort in Oklahoma, USA. The main card airs live on SPIKE TV from 9pm ET.