The road to the Heavyweight crown is finally paved. GLORY has officially announced the quarterfinal matchups for the GLORY 105: Last Heavyweight Standing finals on February 7, revealing a bracket defined by high-stakes stylistic clashes.
Bouzid vs. Zimmerman: The opening bout pits newcomer Anis Bouzid against 39-year-old legend Errol Zimmerman. While Bouzid boasts a high knockout ratio, those finishes came largely on the regional circuit; in GLORY, he has proven to be a volume striker. Zimmerman, meanwhile, punched his ticket by knocking out inexperienced heavyweight Alex Simon. Expect a sloppy affair: Zimmerman remains dangerous for the first round, but if Bouzid survives the initial storm, his youth and activity should carry him to a wide, likely unexciting, decision, unless Zimmerman's grown even more fragile.
Cvjetićanin vs. Laïdouni: The winner of the first quarterfinal will face either Miloš Cvjetićanin or Sofian Laïdouni. This matchup is a classic clash of contrasting styles. Cvjetićanin is a durability-based brawler that looks to close the distance and make the fight ugly. Laïdouni, in contrast, is a technician who wins by frustrating opponents from the outside. Expect a tactical chess match where Laïdouni attempts to circle away from Cvjetićanin’s power to score points from range.
Plazibat vs. Kromah: The opposite side of the bracket begins with Antonio Plazibat facing Mory Kromah—a matchup that will either be a "Fight of the Night" or a brutal exhibit on why weight classes exist. While both men stand 1.94m (6'4"), the mass difference is undeniable. Plazibat is a dense heavyweight, consistently weighing in between 119kg and 123kg. Kromah, a natural Light Heavyweight, usually fights at 95kg. Even if Kromah bulks up, he surrenders nearly 20kg of functional muscle. Consequently, "The Black Ghost" is forced to rely on movement and unorthodox strikes; he simply cannot trade in the pocket. If Plazibat manages to corner him and lean on him in the clinch, the strength difference alone will drain Kromah’s gas tank. To survive, Kromah must stick and move, avoiding the plodding power of the Croatian to rack up points from the outside.
Nico Horta vs. Tariq Osaro: Nico "Big Sexy" Horta enters this tournament with questions hanging over his head. A pressure fighter known for "zombie-like" forward momentum, his recent loss to Nidal Bchiri suggested his previous triumphs might have been a flash in the pan. He faces Tariq Osaro, an opponent who has already proven he has Horta’s number. While Horta claims their previous loss was due to taking the fight on short notice, the stylistic gap remains wide. Osaro is explosive and athletic, utilizing devastating low kicks and fast hands to change the tempo instantly. Unless Horta has drastically improved his ability to check kicks and cut off the ring, Osaro’s superior dynamism should lead him to a repeat victory.
Ultimately, the Glory 105 quarterfinals look less like a clash of titans and more like a necessary filtration process. The opening round is poised to weed out the paper tigers, the undersized technicians, and the fading veterans. If the heavy favorites—Plazibat and Osaro—navigate these stylistic landmines without injury, the real tournament begins in the semi-finals. Until then, expect the laws of physics and age to dictate the winners on February 7.
