Benjamin Adegbuyi, a renowned kickboxing figure known for his past bouts with Badr Hari, is preparing for his return to the ring at SENSHI 31. He is scheduled to compete against Bulgarian heavyweight Daniel Dinev in a super fight in the 95+ kg category. The event, dubbed “SENSHI 31 Gladiators,” will take place on May 30th in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, at the historic Ancient Theatre.
Badr Hari’s Former Opponent Adegbuyi Joins SENSHI 31 Card
Adegbuyi, a veteran from Romania, brings significant recognition to the SENSHI 31 lineup. He is a former two-time GLORY heavyweight title challenger and a three-time winner of GLORY heavyweight contender tournaments, establishing himself as a prominent heavyweight in the last decade. His professional record includes 35 kickboxing wins, with 20 by knockout, and 10 losses. Within GLORY alone, his record stands at 15-8.
His career highlights include facing top-tier opponents such as Rico Verhoeven in GLORY title fights. Notably, he secured a significant victory over Badr Hari in 2021, a memorable moment in his career. His participation in SENSHI is particularly noteworthy, as he enters the bout as the more internationally recognized fighter compared to his opponent.
SENSHI 31: A Night of High-Stakes Kickboxing
While Adegbuyi’s fight is a key attraction, it is part of a larger event. The main focus of SENSHI 31 is an eight-man Grand Prix tournament in the 70 kg category, where the winner will need to win three matches in a single evening to claim the SENSHI lightweight tournament title. The quarterfinal matchups include Angelo Volpe vs. Samo Petje, Aissam Chadid vs. Bruno Gazani, Hirokatsu Miyagi vs. Dragomir Petrov, and Zehao Zhang vs. Marian Lapusneanu. Reserve bouts feature Maxence Vignais vs. Wiktor Kolaja and Mihail Velchovski vs. Andres Casado.
In addition to the Adegbuyi vs. Dinev super fight, the card includes two other super fights: Bart Horvath from England will face Atanas Bozhilov of Bulgaria at 75 kg, and Mantas Rimdeika of Lithuania will compete against Thomas Bridgewater of the Netherlands at 95+ kg. The evening will conclude with the Grand Prix semifinals, a third-place bout, and the final, making for a 13-fight program.
Daniel Dinev: The Local Champion
Daniel Dinev is not being presented as a mere placeholder opponent. Ahead of his SENSHI debut, Dinev boasts an impressive list of achievements, including a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships, being the 2024 European vice-champion, a two-time World Cup winner in 2024 and 2025, the 2025 European Cup winner, and a 14-time Bulgarian heavyweight champion. SENSHI is thus pitting a decorated local champion against an established international veteran.
Historic Venue for SENSHI 31
The choice of the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv adds a unique dimension to the event. This Roman-era venue, which once hosted public spectacles and now accommodates around 6,000 spectators, provides a fitting backdrop for SENSHI’s “Gladiators” theme.
In the lead-up to the event, SENSHI organized an invitational camp in Varna, led by kickboxing legends Albert Kraus and Andy Souwer. Fighters from 16 countries participated in this preparation camp, including those scheduled for SENSHI 31 such as Atanas Bozhilov, Dragomir Petrov, Mihail Velchovski, Samo Petje, and Wiktor Kolaja, further integrating the tournament’s build-up with the Bulgarian fight scene.
