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Serbian heavyweight kickboxer Rade Opacic has officially signed with GLORY Kickboxing after voicing frustrations about extended inactivity while competing under the ONE Championship banner. The 27-year-old fighter brings a stellar 7-1 record from ONE, with his only defeat being a 2022 loss to Guto Inocente—a setback he later avenged.
Opačić’s decision to part ways with ONE stems from his inability to secure regular fights in recent years.
“When I first joined ONE, everything was great,” Opačić shared. “I was kept active and treated very well. I had zero complaints. However, as soon as 2023 came around, things changed, and I’ve had just two fights in the past two years. As a result, I had to request single fight releases to fight outside of ONE just to keep active.”
Despite initially maintaining a busy schedule with six fights in his first two years at ONE, Opačić’s career stagnated after 2023, prompting him to compete in smaller promotions like Senshi in Bulgaria to stay sharp. Now, with GLORY boasting the deepest heavyweight roster in kickboxing, Opačić aims to seize the opportunity to showcase his skills against the best.
“I am excited to finally join GLORY,” Opačić stated. “As a heavyweight in kickboxing, everyone knows that GLORY has the most stacked heavyweight division. My goal is to debut as soon as possible and start 2025 with a bang against whoever is put in front of me.”
The inactivity issue has plagued other fighters in the ONE Championship as well. Former two-division champion Reinier de Ridder and grappling star Marcus Buchecha have both criticized the promotion for failing to secure regular bouts. De Ridder, now signed with the UFC, warned fighters against joining ONE, while Buchecha lamented his 13-month wait for a fight.
With his new contract, Opačić looks forward to an active and successful 2025 in GLORY, with ambitions of climbing the ranks toward a heavyweight title.
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