Verhoeven Ready To Enter the Poker Arena
The biggest name in the field today is Rico Verhoeven. The 28-year old and 1m96 (that's 6 ft 5 in) tall kickboxer is the current GLORY heavyweight champion. He's also ranked the #1 heavyweight in the world by LiverKick.com and Combat Press and was seen partying with Conor McGregor in Las Vegas mere days ago.
National media in Holland have picked up on Verhoeven's challenge to try and capture a coveted WSOP Circuit ring. The giant from Bergen op Zoom, Brabant has made it clear he's not here to act as a punching bag.
"This is definitely not a publicity stunt," Verhoeven told Algemeen Dagblad. The Dutchman is a known poker aficionado and has been playing before in Holland Casino. The King of Kickboxing banks on his martial arts skills to get him through the day.
"There are many similarities between kickboxing and poker," Verhoeven continued. "Sometimes, it's best to be on offense, the other time, you want to be bluffing. A lot of fighters are into poker."
Verhoeven, who defeated the notorious Badr Hari in Germany last year, will be boasting a supportive rail with friends who will check on the champion throughout the tournament. We will follow Verhoeven to see if he can deliver the kicks on the poker table as well.