Victory at Score FS 5 Has Rick Glenn Hopeful a UFC Invitation is Near

Among the fighters that most stood out at Score Fighting Series 5 this past weekend was Rick “Gladiator” Glenn.

While having shown promise prior to his bout against Tristan Johnson, Glenn’s dominating performance caught the eye of people such as Score color commentator Robin Black, who said he was “as advertised, if not more.”

“I feel like I performed really well,” said Glenn. “Maybe I would have stood up with him a little more if I would have done it any different, or a knockout would have been pretty cool, but I’m really happy with it.”

While Glenn expected to be able to work his game against Johnson, the ease of how he was able to do so caught even him off guard.

“I was really surprised about that,” said Glenn. “The first couple minutes he felt kind of strong, but after that I felt like I could do whatever (I wanted).”

Having built his way up through the Midwest fight scene, the opportunity to fight live on national television in Canada for Score is a big step forward for Glenn’s career, even if he didn’t realize it beforehand.

“I didn’t really think about it before the fight other than I wanted to win and put on a good show and make a statement,” he said. “It wasn’t like until after I won that I thought I was on TV. I just went in there and focused on the fight.”

Glenn told MMAWeekly.com that his work at Roufusport has been invaluable for his growth as a fighter over the last year.

“A while ago they didn’t have too many guys there, but we’re really starting to get the total package,” said Glenn. “We’ve got some great striking coaches and great black belts who come in and help with our jiu-jitsu.

“We don’t always just work striking with Duke (Roufus). There’s techniques he’ll show us with strikes on the ground or in any position. We’ve got the total package; it’s not just a striking gym.”

As for what’s next, Glenn has issued a challenge he hopes will be accepted in time for Score’s U.S. debut in October when their sixth event will be broadcast live on AXS TV, and from there, possibly on to the biggest opportunity of his career.

“I did call out Chris Horodecki, and I would like that fight on Oct. 19,” said Glenn. “And before the end of the year, I’d like to get a call from the UFC and get into the big show.”

Should Glenn continue to perform like he has, the admiration of people new to him may only continue to grow.

“It just brings a smile to my face knowing that people are interested in me and like who I am and what I do,” said Glenn. “It’s just a really nice feeling.”

(Photo courtesy of RickTheGladiatorGlenn.com and Brian Frank Photography)