Denise Kielholtz

Denise Kielholtz
BornDenise Kielholtz
(1989-03-30) 30 March 1989 (age 35)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Other namesMiss Dynamite
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight58.06 kg (128.0 lb; 9.143 st)
DivisionFlyweight
StyleKickboxing, Judo, Boxing
Fighting out ofAlmere-Buiten, Flevoland, Netherlands
TeamTeam Schreiber (MMA)[1]
RankBlack Belt in Judo
Kickboxing record
Total51
Wins48
Losses3
Mixed martial arts record
Total13
Wins8
By knockout2
By submission3
By decision3
Losses5
By submission3
By decision2
Other information
SpouseHesdy Gerges
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Denise Kielholtz (born 30 March 1989) is a Dutch female Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist, based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She has competed professionally since 2004 and is the current Bellator Kickboxing Women's Flyweight Champion.

Mixed martial arts career

Kielholtz made her professional MMA debut at Torarica Summer Fights 1 in October, 2015. She lost the fight via submission.

Bellator MMA

Kielholtz signed with Bellator in 2016, appearing in the promotion's inaugural kickboxing card, Bellator Kickboxing 1 in Torino, Italy on April 16, 2016.[2] She would go 4–1 in kickboxing for the promotion, winning the Flyweight Championship along the way.

Kielholtz then made her Bellator MMA debut at Bellator 188 against Jessica Middleton. She won the fight via submission.[3]

Kielholtz was expected to face Lena Ovchynnikova in the co-main event of Bellator 196 in Budapest, Hungary on April 6, 2018.[4] However, Ovchynnikova pulled out of the fight and was replaced by Petra Částková. Kielholtz won the fight by unanimous decision.

Kielholtz faced Veta Arteaga on September 21, 2018 at Bellator 205.[5] She lost the fight via a submission.[6]

Kielholtz faced Bryony Tyrell at Bellator 223 on June 22, 2019.[7] She won the fight via TKO in the third round.

Kielholtz faced Sabriye Şengül at Bellator London 2 on November 23, 2019.[8] She won the fight via an Americana submission in the first round.

Kielholtz faced Kristina Williams at Bellator 239 on February 21, 2020.[9] She won the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.

Kielholtz faced former Bellator Women's Flyweight title challenger Kate Jackson at Bellator 247 on October 1, 2020. She won the bout via knockout just 43 seconds into the first round. Subsequently, she signed a new contract with the Bellator MMA.[10]

Kielholtz fought for the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship against champion Juliana Velasquez on July 16, 2021 at Bellator 262.[11] She lost the bout in a razor thin split decision.[12]

Kielholtz faced Kana Watanabe on May 13, 2022 at Bellator 281.[13] She lost the fight via a triangle choke submission in the second round.[14]

Kielholtz faced Ilara Joanne on December 9, 2022, at Bellator 289.[15] She lost the fight via split decision.[16][17]

Kielholtz faced Paula Cristina on May 12, 2023 at Bellator 296.[18] She won the fight by unanimous decision.[19][20]

Kielholtz faced Sumiko Inaba on November 17, 2023 at Bellator 301.[21] In a bout contested mostly on the feet, Kielholtz maintained the advantage and won the bout via unanimous decision.[22]

Kielholtz was scheduled to face Taila Santos on April 4, 2024 at PFL 1.[23] However, a week before the event it was announced that Kielholtz had pulled out.[24]

Personal life

Kielholtz was born in Amsterdam to a Dutch father and a Curaçaoan mother.[25] She is married to kickboxer Hesdy Gerges.[26]

Championships and awards

Kickboxing

Judo

  • 2008 Dutch Team Championships Gold
  • 2006 Dutch Open Espoir U20 Tournament Bronze
  • 2005 Scottish Open U20 Championships Edinburgh Bronze
  • 2005 Scottish Open Championships Edinburgh Bronze
  • 2005 Dutch Championships U17 Siler
  • 2004 Dutch Open Espoir U17 Tournament Bronze
  • 2003 Dutch Championships U15 Nieuwegein Gold
  • 2002 Dutch Championships U15 Nieuwegein Bronze

Boxing

  • 2012 Amateur Arabic Featherweight World Champion 55 kg (Defeated Lorena Klijn) -56 kg [27]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
13 matches 8 wins 5 losses
By knockout 2 0
By submission 3 3
By decision 3 2
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 8–5 Sumiko Inaba Decision (unanimous) Bellator 301 November 17, 2023 3 5:00 Chicago, Illinois, United States
Win 7–5 Paula Cristina Decision (unanimous) Bellator 296 May 12, 2023 3 5:00 Paris, France
Loss 6–5 Ilara Joanne Decision (split) Bellator 289 December 9, 2022 3 5:00 Uncasville, Connecticut, United States
Loss 6–4 Kana Watanabe Submission (triangle choke) Bellator 281 May 13, 2022 2 3:03 London, England Kielholtz was deducted one point in round 2 due to illegal upkick.
Loss 6–3 Juliana Velasquez Decision (split) Bellator 262 July 16, 2021 5 5:00 Uncasville, Connecticut, United States For the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship.
Win 6–2 Kate Jackson KO (punches) Bellator 247 October 1, 2020 1 0:43 Milan, Italy
Win 5–2 Kristina Williams Submission (rear-naked choke) Bellator 239 February 21, 2020 1 2:15 Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States
Win 4–2 Sabriye Şengül Submission (americana) Bellator London 2 November 23, 2019 1 0:32 London, England
Win 3–2 Bryony Tyrell TKO (punches) Bellator 223 June 22, 2019 3 2:48 London, England
Loss 2–2 Veta Arteaga Submission (guillotine choke) Bellator 205 September 21, 2018 2 4:24 Boise, Idaho, United States
Win 2–1 Petra Částková Decision (unanimous) Bellator 196 April 6, 2018 3 5:00 Budapest, Hungary
Win 1–1 Jessica Middleton Submission (scarfhold armbar) Bellator 188 November 16, 2017 1 1:16 Tel Aviv, Israel
Loss 0–1 Juliete de Souza Silva Submission (armbar) Torarica Summer Fights 1 October 31, 2015 1 N/A Paramaribo, Suriname

Kickboxing record

Professional kickboxing record
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time Record
2022-10-29 Win Italy Laura Pileri HIT IT Rotterdam, Netherlands Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 19–2
2017-04-08 Win Italy Martine Michieletto Bellator Kickboxing 5 Torino, Italy Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 18–2
Retains Bellator Kickboxing Women's Flyweight Championship.
2016-12-10 Win Italy Gloria Peritore Bellator Kickboxing 4[28] Florence, Italy Decision (split) 5 3:00 17–2
Wins Bellator Kickboxing Women's Flyweight Championship.
2016-09-17 Win Hungary Renata Lantos Bellator Kickboxing 3 Budapest, Hungary Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 16–2
2016-06-24 Loss Italy Gloria Peritore Bellator Kickboxing 2 St. Louis, Missouri, United States Decision (split) 3 3:00 15–2
2016-04-16 Win Italy Veronica Vernocchi Bellator Kickboxing 1 Torino, Italy Decision (split) 3 3:00 15–1
2014-11-23 Win United States Tiffany van Soest Enfusion Live 22 Groningen, Netherlands Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 14–1
Retains Enfusion Live Women's -57 kg/126 lb Championship.[29]
2014-04-26 Win Slovakia Lucia Krajčovič Enfusion Live 17 Žilina, Slovakia Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 13–1
2014-04-26 Win Netherlands Ilona Wijmans Enfusion Live 12 Alkmaar, Netherlands Decision (Overturned) 5 3:00 12–1
Wins Enfusion Live World Title -57 kg.
2013-09-17 Win England Vicky Church Enfusion 4: Search for the SuperPro, Finals Koh Samui, Thailand Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 11–1
Wins Enfusion 4 Ladies Team Captains tournament title -61 kg.[30]
2013-09-17 Win Lebanon Manal Salman Enfusion 4: Search for the SuperPro, Semi Finals Koh Samui, Thailand Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 10–1
2013-06-29 Win England Christi Brereton Enfusion Live 6 London, England Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00 9–1
2013-04-13 Win Czech Republic Alena Hola Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands Decision 8–1
Wins WMTA Super Bantamweight World title.
2013-02-18 Win Spain Christina Morales The Hague, Netherlands Decision 5 2:00 7–1
Wins WFCA kickboxing European title -57 kg. [31]
2012-12-02 Win England Lucy Payne Enfusion 3: Trial of the Gladiators, Final Ljubljana, Slovenia Decision 3 3:00 6–1
Wins Enfusion 3 Ladies Team Captains tournament title -57 kg.
2012-12-02 Win United States Lindsay Scheer Enfusion 3: Trial of the Gladiators, Semi Finals Ljubljana, Slovenia Decision 3 3:00 5–1
2012-05-27 Win Czech Republic Kateřina Svobodová Slamm 7: Holland vs Thailand Decision 3 3:00 4–1
2011-12-28 Win Slamm!! Soema Na Basi II Paramaribo, Suriname Decision (unanimous) 3:00 3–1
Wins Slamm Women’s Championship -60 kg.[32]
2011-04-10 Win Italy Sindy Huyer Almere's Finest Almere, Netherlands Decision 3 3:00 2–1
2010-08-29 Win United States Lindsay Scheer Slamm Fighting with the Stars - B- Class Suriname Decision 3 3:00 1–1
2009-11-29 Loss United States Lindsay Scheer Slamm Holland vs. Thailand Decision 3 3:00 0–1
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

References

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  2. ^ Al-Shatti, Shaun (2016-02-18). "Bellator announces the launch of Bellator Kickboxing". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2018-02-10.
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  4. ^ Anderson, Jay (2018-02-09). "Bellator 196 Co-Main Event Set: Lena Ovchynnikova vs. Denise Kielholtz". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2018-02-10.
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