Hold onto your hats, fight fans! It seems we almost witnessed a clash of titans, but the bout never materialized. Derrick Lewis claims he was offered a fight against GLORY Kickboxing heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven, but the Dutch kickboxing legend allegedly turned it down.
On December 24, 2025, the MMA world was buzzing with anticipation. Verhoeven, after vacating his GLORY title in November, hinted at a potential transition to MMA, possibly with the UFC. This news sent shockwaves through the fighting community, as many fans were eager to see how the kickboxing star would fare in the octagon.
Lewis, a UFC veteran with a record of 29-12 in MMA and 20-10 in the UFC, revealed this information during an interview on "The Beast and the Cowboy" podcast. He stated that he was offered Verhoeven as an opponent for the first Paramount+ card at UFC 324 on January 24.
"I've been trying to get a fight damn near every month since July," Lewis explained, detailing his frustration with the lack of opportunities. He continued, expressing his surprise when the potential fight against Verhoeven fell through.
"They're talking about, 'It's going to be something big, you're going to like it.' Then they're talking about, 'Paramount, in January.' I'm like, man. Then they were talking about against who. First, it was supposed to be some dude from GLORY Kickboxing, the champion. ... Rico –it was supposed to be against him, then he turned the fight down."
Lewis, fresh off a swift 35-second TKO victory over Tallison Teixeira in July, was initially hoping for a rematch with Sergei Pavlovich. However, he eventually ended up facing Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 324 in Las Vegas.
But here's where it gets controversial... Why would Verhoeven, a dominant force in kickboxing, decline a high-profile fight in the UFC? Was it a matter of negotiations, timing, or perhaps a lack of confidence in transitioning to MMA?
And this is the part most people miss... The potential matchup between Lewis and Verhoeven would have been a fascinating clash of styles. Lewis's devastating power against Verhoeven's technical striking would have made for an explosive encounter.
What do you think? Do you believe Verhoeven made the right decision? Would you have been excited to see this fight? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
