Zhulien Rikov heads into SENSHI 29 on December 6 in Varna as one of Bulgaria’s key prospects, targeting a statement performance in his bout with Spanish-Moroccan striker Alex Fernandez. The 19-year-old already has international hardware and a previous SENSHI win behind him, and he is openly talking about building toward a future title shot in the promotion.
SENSHI 29 takes place on December 6, 2025, at the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria, serving as the promotion’s final fight card of the year. Rikov is booked at 75 kilograms against Spain’s Alex Fernandez, a clash that appears early on a 12-bout lineup featuring athletes from 16 countries.
Who is Zhulien Rikov?
Rikov represents the Desant Sports Club from Dobrich, part of a well-established Bulgarian kickboxing and Muay Thai school that has produced multiple national-level talents. Despite his age, he is a two-time Kickboxing World Cup winner, a two-time European Cup winner, and an eight-time Bulgarian national champion, as well as a gold medalist at WAKO World and European Cups. SENSHI 29 will be his fourth professional bout and his second appearance under the SENSHI banner, with one SENSHI victory already on his record.
“There are about two weeks of training left, followed by the weight-cutting period. The SENSHI training camp in October was perfect for gaining experience and testing ourselves against different styles. We sparred with as many fighters as possible”
In the build-up to December 6, Rikov has been training twice per day and has moved into full sparring rounds, describing camp as tough but on schedule and stressing that athletes “put [their] health on the line” during this phase. He says there were about two weeks of intensive work left before tapering into weight cut, with the recent SENSHI training camp in October used to test himself against multiple styles and partners. Speaking on Sportal Fight Club, he called SENSHI 29 “one of the biggest challenges” of his career so far and emphasized that he expects his opponent to be similarly prepared so they can deliver a high-level fight.
Rikov initially described his foe as an older, more experienced fighter from Spain, and the card lists him opposite Spanish athlete Alex Fernandez at 75 kg. In a Bulgarian TV interview, he added that his opponent was born in Morocco but lives in Spain, framing the matchup as a style clash with a dangerous rival who still does not worry him. He has said that on fight night he plans to think only about “crushing him” and seeing his own hand raised.
“My opponent was born in Morocco but lives in Spain. During the match, I’ll only be thinking about crushing him and seeing my hand raised. I don’t have a weak side compared to his. I’m much better than him”
Rikov calls SENSHI “one of the biggest fight promotions in Europe” and says competing there “means a lot,” particularly with a home crowd expected in Varna. He admits that nerves are always present and that the crowd can either help or distract a fighter, which is why he focuses on mental discipline in the ring. Looking beyond December 6, he has stated that if SENSHI offers him the chance, he is ready to fight for a title.
SENSHI 29
SENSHI functions under the KWU International Professional League, blending Kyokushin roots with modern kickboxing and Muay Thai rule sets that allow a wide range of striking techniques, including elbows and throws in some formats. SENSHI 29 closes the promotion’s 2025 calendar and coincides with a broader SENSHI training infrastructure, including recent camps that brought in figures such as Semmy Schilt and Ernesto Hoost as instructors and officials.
For Rikov, another strong result in Varna would add to a resume that already includes multiple international amateur titles, push him closer to a SENSHI belt opportunity, and further cement his status among the Bulgarian “lions” highlighted for this card.