If there’s one thing GLORY Kickboxing is known for, it’s knockouts. GLORY has the highest finish rate of any professional fight organization and in fact there were so many knockouts in 2017 that for the first time ever, we gave knockout kicks their own category. A head kick finish is the most stunning way to end a fight and there was no shortage of examples to choose from. Voting was close, with all four nominations being worthy entrants, but the lightweight Stoyan Koprlivlensi, fighting out of Mike’s Gym in Amsterdam, Netherlands, clinched it for his finish of Maykol Yurk in the lightweight tournament at GLORY 49 ROTTERDAM The knockout sent Yurk face down to the canvas and Koprivlenski through to the tournament final, where he derailed rising star Tyjani Beztati to win the tournament and announce himself as a new contender in the lightweight ranks. Also nominated: Mladen Brestovac for his incredible left head kick stoppage of Hesdy Gerges in their heavyweight fight at GLORY 46 AMSTERDAM. Zinedine Hameur Lain, for his first-round finish of Freddy Kemayo in their GLORY 42 PARIS light-heavyweight battle. And finally, another left kick finish, this one via Thai featherweight Petchpanorung Kiatmookao, as he dispatched Zakaria Zougarry in the final round of their fight at GLORY REDEMPTION.
