Former Glory Kickboxing heavyweight title challenger Levi Rigters made a stunning MMA debut at Levels Fight League 24 in Den Bosch, stopping Luis Carlos de Brito in just 45 seconds. Rigters dropped de Brito with a spinning back kick to the body before following up with ground strikes to force the stoppage. The Dutchman, who famously knocked down heavyweight kingpin Rico Verhoeven at Glory Collision 7, signed with LFL over the summer ahead of the transition.
Levi Rigters announced himself to the MMA world in emphatic fashion at Levels Fight League 24 in Den Bosch, stopping Luis Carlos de Brito in just 45 seconds on September 27 to win his professional debut.
The Dutch heavyweight wasted no time showcasing the striking arsenal that made him a feared name in kickboxing. Rigters dropped de Brito with a spinning back kick to the body, then swarmed his grounded opponent with follow-up strikes until the referee intervened. From first bell to finish, it took under a minute.
Rigters arrives in MMA with significant combat-sports pedigree. The Dutchman built his reputation in Glory Kickboxing as a heavyweight title challenger, and he carries a notable highlight on his resume: a knockdown of Rico Verhoeven, the 37-year-old Dutch kickboxing icon who holds a 66-10-0 professional record and is widely regarded as the top heavyweight in the sport. That moment at Glory Collision 7 demonstrated Rigters possessed the kind of power capable of troubling anyone in the division. He formally committed to the MMA transition over the summer when he signed with Levels Fight League.
Why it matters
- A 45-second debut win immediately establishes Rigters as a heavyweight prospect worth watching in European MMA.
- His Glory background gives him elite-level stand-up, and the spinning back kick finish signals he is not simply throwing straight punches and hoping for the best.
- LFL gains a fighter with genuine name recognition in the Benelux combat-sports market, which could boost the promotion's profile heading into future events.
