Cihad Kepenek

Cihad Kepenek
Born	(1993-10-01) October 1, 1993 (age 31) Tokat, Turkey
Other names	The Ottoman
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	103.3 kg (228 lb; 16 st 4 lb)
Division	Heavyweight
Style	Kickboxing
Stance	Orthodox
Fighting out of	Istanbul, Turkey
Team	Fight Master Academia
Trainer	Selahattin Aydın
Kickboxing record
Total	18
Wins	8
By knockout	5
Losses	9
By knockout	3
No contests	1

Cihad Kepenek (born 1 October 1993) is a Turkish kickboxer, currently competing in the heavyweight division of kickboxing promotion Glory.

Kickboxing career

Kepenek made his promotional debut with Glory against Tomáš Možný at Glory 29: Copenhagen on April 16, 2016. ^[1] He lost the fight by unanimous decision, after an extra fourth round was contested. ^[2]

Kepenek was booked to face Yurii Gorbenko at Prestige Fights 2 on September 30, 2016. He won the fight by unanimous decision. ^[3]

Kepenek faced Junior Tafa at Glory 65: Utrecht on May 17, 2019. ^[4] He won the fight by unanimous decision. ^[5]

Kepenek faced Sergio Pique at World Fight Night on April 14, 2018. ^[6] He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Kepenek was scheduled to fight Nordine Mahieddine at Glory Collision 2 on December 21, 2019. ^[7] He lost the fight by split decision, after an extra round was fought. ^[8]

Kepenek challenged the reigning ISKA Muaythai World Super Heavyweight champion Thomas Froschauer at Army of Fighters 1 on July 10, 2021. ^[9] He won the fight by a first-round knockout.^{[ citation needed ]}

Kepenek was booked to rematch Nordine Mahieddine at Glory 81: Ben Saddik vs. Adegbuyi 2 on August 20, 2022. ^[10] He initially won the fight via first-round knockout, but the result would later be changed to No Contest after Kepenek tested positive for a banned substance. ^{[11] [12]}

Kepenek faced Michal Blawdziewicz at Glory 90. He won via unanimous decision. ^[13]

He faced Blawdziewicz in a rematch at the Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix, with a Reserve Slot in the night's tournament on the line. He won the fight via KO in round 2, but would not be called in to replace any fighters. ^[14]

He faced Inout Iancu at Glory 96, losing via TKO in the second round after being knocked down 3 times in one round. ^[15]

Glory Last Heavyweight Standing Tournament

Kepenek took part in the Glory 99 “Heavyweight Last Man Standing Tournament” where 32 heavyweight fighters competed on April 5, 2025 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. ^{[16] [17]} He faced Iancu in a rematch, losing via TKO in the first round, retiring between rounds 1 and 2. ^[18]

He faced Sofian Laidouni in the Opening Round of Phase 2 of the tournament at Glory 103. He lost via unanimous decision, being eliminated from the tournament for a second time. ^[19]

Failed drug test

GLORY 81

Kepenek faced Nordine Mahieddine at Glory 81, initially winning via KO. However, the result was overturned to a no contest on November 24, as Kepenek tested positive for a banned substance. ^[20] He was also suspended for 12 months. ^[21]

Championships and accomplishments

• International Sport Kickboxing Association
  • 2021 ISKA Muaythai World Super Heavyweight Champion

Kickboxing record

^[22]

Kickboxing record

8 Wins (8 KOs), 9 Losses, 1 No Contest
Date	Result	Opponent	Event	Location	Method	Round	Time
2025-08-23	Loss	Sofian Laidouni	Glory 103 - Last Heavyweight Standing Opening Round Phase 2	Rotterdam, Netherlands
2025-04-05	Loss	Ionuț Iancu	Glory 99 - Last Heavyweight Standing, Opening Round	Rotterdam, Netherlands	TKO (retirement)	1	3:00
2024-10-12	Loss	Ionuț Iancu	Glory 96	Rotterdam, Netherlands	TKO (3 Knockdowns)	2	2:59
2024-03-09	Win	Michał Bławdziewicz	Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix, reserve fight	Arnhem, Netherlands	KO (punches)	2	2:55
2023-12-23	Win	Michal Blawdziewicz	Glory 90	Rotterdam, Netherlands	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00
2022-08-20	NC	Nordine Mahieddine	Glory 81: Ben Saddik vs. Adegbuyi 2	Düsseldorf, Germany	No Contest (Overturned)	1	2:52
Originally a KO win for Kepenek, changed to a no contest after he tested positive for a banned substance.
2021-07-10	Win	Thomas Froschauer	Army of Fighters 1	Istanbul, Turkey	KO (Punches)	1	2:25
Wins the ISKA Muaythai World Super Heavyweight title.
2019-12-21	Loss	Nordine Mahieddine	Glory Collision 2	Arnhem, Netherlands	Ext. R Decision (Split)	4	3:00
2019-05-17	Win	Junior Tafa	Glory 65: Utrecht	Utrecht, Netherlands	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00
2018-04-14	Loss	Sergio Pique	World Fight Night	Gebze, Istanbul	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00
2017-10-21	Win	Tasos Karagiandis	Orion Fight Arena	Ankara, Turkey	TKO (Punches)	1
2016-09-30	Win	Yuri Gorbenko	Prestige Fights 2	Cyprus	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00
2016-04-16	Loss	Tomáš Možný	Glory 29: Copenhagen	Copenhagen, Denmark	Ext. R. Decision (Unanimous)	4	3:00
2016-02-28	Loss	Levi Rigters	Anadolu Arena 9	Tokat, Turkey	Decision	3	3:00
2013-12-04	Loss	Paul Slowinski	A1 World Grand Prix 2013	Melbourne	TKO (Punches)	1	2:53
2013-06-03	Loss	Patrice Quarteron	A-1 World Combat Cup	Istanbul, Turkey	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00
2013-08-13	Win	Hamed Allouche	A1	Melbourne, Australia	TKO (Punches)	1
2012-09-	Win	Harun Ozgun	Prestige Fights 2	Turkey	KO (Right hook)	1
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

Amateur Kickboxing Record

Date	Result	Opponent	Event	Location	Method	Round	Time
2015-10-29	Loss	Ante Verunica	W.A.K.O World Championships 2015, Quarterfinals	Belgrade, Serbia	Decision (Split)	3	2:00
2015-10-28	Win	Pirkka Suksi	W.A.K.O World Championships 2015, First Round	Belgrade, Serbia	Decision (Unanimous)	3	2:00
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

See also

• List of male kickboxers

References

1. "Vypeckovaná štartovka GLORY 29,..Tomáš Možný medzi elitou". fightmmania.com. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
2. Fotta, Patrik. "Tomáš Možný s triumfom v lige Glory". kosice.korzar.sme.sk. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
3. "Ağır Sıklet Kickboksta Cihat Kepenek Fırtınası Kıbrıs Rum Kesiminde de Esti". fightclub.com.tr. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
4. van Dinter, Sean (6 April 2019). "GLORY 65 Utrecht: Junior Tafa treft Cihad Kepenek". vechtsportinfo.nl. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
5. "Glory'de Cihad Kepenek Rüzgarı". fightclub.com.tr. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
6. "Kickboks Heyecanı Bu Akşam Gebze'de Yaşanacak! Sabriye Şengül de Ringe Çıkacak." fightclub.com.tr. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
7. "Collision 2: Nordine Mahieddine imposes some!". headkicknews.com. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
8. "GLORY 74 - Nordine MAHIEDDINE prend la victoire à l'extra round". boxemag.com. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
9. "ISKA Any Given Weekend". iskaworldhq.com. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
10. "Glory 81 : Nordine Mahieddine n'est pas respecté !". headkicknews.com. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
11. "Glory 81: Cihad Kepenek neemt met fraaie KO revanche op Nordine Mahieddine". sportnieuws.nl. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
12. "Tavares & Kepenek Suspended Over Positive Drug Tests". Beyond Kickboxing - The Home of Kickboxing. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
13. Wheaton, Timothy (2025-04-30). "GLORY 90 Results: Semeleer Beats Ouled-Chaib, Retains Title". Combat Press. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
14. Yellow, Pink. "Heavyweight Grand Prix". GLORY Kickboxing. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
15. Wheaton, Timothy (2025-04-30). "GLORY 96 Results: Kwasi vs. Beztati Results Ends in Draw". Combat Press. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
16. https://glorykickboxing.com/events/glory-99
17. https://beyondkick.com/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-glory-s-last-heavyweight-standing-tournament/
18. Kuhl, Dan (2025-04-30). "GLORY 99 Results: Knockouts, Injuries, Close Fights and Dominant Wins Send 16 to GLORY 100". Combat Press. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
19. Kuhl, Dan (2025-04-30). "GLORY 103 Results: Rigters Stops Ben Saddik with Spinning Liver Kick; Kwasi Defends". Combat Press. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
20. Pereira, Yannick (24 November 2022). "Glory Schorst Kickboksers Tavares En Kepek! 'No Contest'". vechtsportinfo.nl. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
21. "GLORY Heavyweight Jamal Ben Saddik Suspended After Testing Positive for Banned Substance". beyondkick.com. 8 February 2023.
22. [9] Cihad Kepenek. Glory Kickboxing. Available at: https://glorykickboxing.com/fighters/cihad-kepenek (Accessed: 2 January 2025).