At GLORY 100, heavyweight veteran Jamal Ben Saddik’s tournament journey came to an abrupt and gruesome end following a severe laceration to his shin during his bout against French striker Sofian Laidouni.
The highly anticipated event, held Saturday at Rotterdam Ahoy in the Netherlands and broadcast live on DAZN pay-per-view, saw the towering Ben Saddik—standing at an imposing 6’9″—enter as the betting favorite against his French opponent. The 2018 heavyweight grand prix champion brought size, experience, and finishing power to the contest, but fate had other plans.
What began as an exciting, back-and-forth first round quickly transformed into a medical emergency. During an exchange of strikes, Ben Saddik sustained a massive cut to his shin that immediately began gushing blood. The severity of the injury prompted medical staff to examine the wound closely, ultimately leading to the doctor calling an end to the contest.
Sofian Laidouni🇩🇿 vient d’instaurer la clim en Hollande en battant le combattant dopé Jamal Ben Saddik🇲🇦 par KO technique au 1er round pic.twitter.com/zBzFmD2GyP
— DZfighters (@DZfighters) June 14, 2025
The laceration was so significant that it left spectators and commentators stunned as Ben Saddik was forced to bow out of the competition. Images of the injury quickly circulated online, showing the depth and seriousness of the wound.
With the victory via TKO due to the doctor’s stoppage, Laidouni advances to the Group 4 Tournament Finals, capitalizing on an opportunity few expected would present itself in such dramatic fashion.
For Ben Saddik, this represents a particularly disappointing setback at GLORY’s milestone 100th event, where the veteran kickvoxer hoped to make another run toward heavyweight glory. Instead, he now faces recovery time from an injury that will likely require significant medical attention before he can return to competition.
The remainder of GLORY 100 continued with its stacked card, but the anticlimactiv conclusion to the Ben Saddik-Laidouni contest served as a stark reminder of the physical risks these elite kickboxing athletes face every time they step into the ring.
