Rico Verhoeven might still be dealing with the fallout of his disappointing and controversial 11th-round TKO loss to Oleksandr Usyk. But he’s not exactly wallowing in sadness over it. Despite the referee waving off the bout way too early, the former Glory Kickboxing champion’s exceptional performance during the bout in Giza has now brought him a plethora of big fight offers.

In a recent interview, Ariel Helwani asked Verhoeven about potentially fighting Francis Ngannou under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions banner. The Dutch fighter didn’t deny the possibility of an MMA showdown against ‘The Predator’. However, in response, he revealed that he currently has multiple lucrative offers on the table. Still, a rematch is what he prefers at the moment.

“Like I said, there are so many things coming my way right now, so I’m just slowly looking at everything and reviewing everything,” Verhoeven told Helwani. “So, let’s see what happens. But, like I said, to be honest, I’m looking at the rematch first because I think that’s the fight people want to see. But let’s see what’s on the table.”

“Everybody’s been reaching out. One of the opportunities that we’ve gotten has been massive. It’s been crazy, but we’re just taking it one day at a time, still letting the dust settle because it’s been crazy, Ariel. Like I said, nobody expected this to happen except for us, and it did happen. So we’re super thankful that we got the opportunity to show this to the world, and now we’re just going to take it slowly, day by day, step by step, and see what’s next.”

Verhoeven looking to secure a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk does make sense, especially with ongoing “robbery claims” surrounding the stoppage. However, there are still a couple of major options the Dutch star can explore. Helwani already revealed that Jake Paul is interested in signing Verhoeven to MVP for a potential Francis Ngannou fight.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer didn’t waste time taking to social media, writing, “Rico vs Francis MVP / MVP MMA” on X. But while the matchup is undeniably enticing, there’s also another blockbuster showdown in the boxing world potentially waiting for Verhoeven.

Though the combat sports world wants to see Verhoeven and Usyk collide once again, there’s a slight obstacle standing in the way. Germany’s Agit Kabayel is now the mandatory contender for Usyk’s WBC title, and the organization’s chairman, Mauricio Sulaimán, already confirmed that fight. In that case, Verhoeven’s showdown against Anthony Joshua might be on the table, who was his originally planned opponent before Usyk stepped in.

Alongside those possibilities, Verhoeven’s potential UFC foray always remains an option. The former Glory champion previously revealed that the UFC offered him a “decent” contract. However, after reportedly earning around $12-15 million for the Usyk fight, it appears doubtful that he would make the move to Dana White’s promotion for less than that.

Now, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Rico Verhoeven might be one of the most sought-after fighters in combat sports right now. But alongside him, the MMA world in particular has also noticed another breakout talent they cannot wait to sign.

UFC and PFL are reportedly chasing a breakout MVP star

Salahdine Parnasse delivered arguably the best performance of his career against Kenneth Cross at MVP’s inaugural event on May 16. Following that masterclass display, the doors have seemingly opened for the French-Moroccan fighter to choose his next home as he becomes a free agent. 

Parnasse’s manager, Stephane Chaufourier, recently attended PFL’s event in Brussels, where he reportedly revealed that both the UFC and PFL are eager to sign the former KSW lightweight champion under their banners.

“In less than a month, we’ll have the name of Salahdine Parnasse’s organization,” Chaufourier reportedly said during the event.

Though it might be the PFL’s first time aggressively approaching Parnasse, the UFC has actually offered him a deal before. In an Ariel Helwani interview, the French MMA fighter revealed that Dana White’s promotion approached him with a contract. However, the offered amount was reportedly 20-30 times lower than what he was earning in KSW, which ultimately led to him rejecting the deal at the time.

After pulling off a stellar victory against Cross at the MVP event, Parnasse’s stock is definitely at an all-time high. But whether he eventually signs with the UFC or chooses to remain with MVP or finds another home remains to be seen. There’s also another possibility that Parnasse could explore boxing, much like Rico Verhoeven did.