Artists Nangan and Verhuven have the potential to craft a distinctive trilogy, each piece rendered in three distinct styles.
Rico Verhoeven, the current GLORY heavyweight kickboxing champion, and Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, are in discussions about an unprecedented three-fight challenge that would see Ngannou compete across three different disciplines: MMA, boxing, and kickboxing.
The proposed series, dubbed "The ultimate challenge," was first announced by Verhoeven following his successful title defense in kickboxing in late June 2025. Negotiations for this potential event have resumed as of early July, with both athletes expressing their support for the venture.
If successful, this crossover event would mark a significant milestone in the fight world, as it would showcase the athletes' versatility across multiple combat sports. The exact order of the fights has not yet been specified.
Verhoeven, who successfully defended his Glory title in June by defeating Artem Vakhitov, has been vocal about the offer. On the other hand, Francis Ngannou, who won under the PFL banner in October 2020 by knocking out Renan Ferreira, has also expressed his interest in the challenge.
The negotiations for this high-profile event are ongoing with promoters from GLORY, PFL, and Saudi promoters. However, no official dates or finalized contracts have been announced yet. The location for the fights has not been specified, but negotiations are ongoing with Saudi promoters.
This ambitious crossover event is generating significant interest due to the crossover appeal between the two athletes' disciplines. The successful completion of this challenge would undoubtedly solidify the athletes' positions as versatile and formidable competitors in the fight world.
As negotiations continue, fight fans eagerly await more updates on this groundbreaking event. Stay tuned for further developments.
Bookmakers are already speculating about the outcome of the proposed three-fight challenge between Rico Verhoeven and Francis Ngannou, given their successful track records in kickboxing and Mixed-Martial-Arts respectively. With Francis Ngannou's victory in PFL MMA in October 2020 and Rico Verhoeven's kickboxing victory in June 2025, the potential crossover event promises to test their versatility in sports such as boxing, if the negotiations between GLORY, PFL, and Saudi promoters lead to a confirmed series.
