Henri Hooft | |
---|---|
Born | The Hague, Netherlands | 21 May 1969
Other names | Harry Hooft |
Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
Division | Heavyweight |
Style | Kickboxing |
Team | Kill Cliff FC (2017–present) Blackzilians (2011–2017) Team Mr. Perfect (2009–2011) Team Aerts (2004–2008) Mejiro Gym (formerly) |
Trainer | Rob Kaman, Jan Plas |
Notable students | Tyrone Spong, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Anthony Johnson, Michael Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Kamaru Usman, Jake Shields, Matt Mitrione, Abel Trujillo, Gilbert Burns, Luke Rockhold, Robbie Lawler, Aung La Nsang, Derek Brunson, Michael Chandler, Shavkat Rakhmonov |
Henri Hooft, also known as Harry Hooft (born May 21, 1969), is a Dutch former kickboxer and trainer. He is the head trainer at Kill Cliff FC and formerly the Blackzilians.
Hooft was born and raised in The Hague, Netherlands. At the age of 15, he became interested in combat sports. He started training with his brother in full contact Karate, but later switched to kickboxing. He already began competing after training for three months, winning several competitions. At the age of 18, he was invited by Dutch kickboxing world champion Rob Kaman to move to Thailand to train with him. There, he discovered Thai boxing. [1] [2]
Hooft began fighting professionally while coaching at the same time. He developed his own fighting system by combining the best of Thai boxing and Dutch kickboxing. He competed in more than 100 kickboxing fights. [1] [2] His most notable fight was against Stefan Leko at the K-1 Grand Prix '99, which he lost by knockout in the first round. In 2004, he joined Team Aerts as the sparring partner and trainer of three-time K-1 champion Peter Aerts, training out of Kops Gym in Amsterdam under Jan Plas. [3] In 2007, he retired from fighting and continued as a trainer. Among the fighters he trained was kickboxing world champion Tyrone Spong. [2]
In 2011, Hooft joined the mixed martial arts gym the Blackzilians in Florida, after he was brought in by Tyrone Spong, who was invited by Rashad Evans to train with him. There, he went on to become the head stand-up coach. [4] In 2017, he founded his own gym Combat Club, later rebranded as Kill Cliff FC. [5] Hooft trained top contenders such as Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Anthony Johnson, Michael Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Kamaru Usman, Jake Shields, Matt Mitrione, Gilbert Burns, Michael Chandler and Shavkat Rakhmonov. [4]
Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2007-02-17 | Loss | ![]() | Gala in Margriethal | Schiedam, Netherlands | KO (left cross) | 1 | 1:14 | |
2005-04-3 | Win | ![]() | Leo De Snoo Memorial 2005 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | TKO (retirement) | |||
2003-06-04 | Loss | ![]() | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 Preliminary Holland | Zoetermeer, Netherlands | Decision (majority) | 3 | 3:00 | |
2000-01-23 | Loss | ![]() | Day of No Mercy | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Decision | 5 | 3:00 | |
1999-12-05 | Loss | ![]() | K-1 World Grand Prix 1999 | Tokyo, Japan | KO (right back kick) | 1 | 2:37 | |
1991 | Loss | ![]() | Netherlands | KO | 3 | |||
Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes |
Ray Sefo is a New Zealand fight promoter and retired kickboxer, boxer, and mixed martial artist of Samoan descent. He was the K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 Runner-up, is a six-time Muay Thai World Champion, and was an eight time K-1 World Grand Prix Finals tournament participant. He is the president of MMA promotion Professional Fighters League. In kickboxing, he defeated world champions Jerome Le Banner, Peter Aerts, Stefan Leko, Mike Bernardo, and Mark Hunt. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers to have never won the K-1 World Grand Prix. As mixed martial artist, he most notably competed in the now defunct Strikeforce in 2009 and 2011.
Greg Jones is an American former collegiate wrestler. At West Virginia University, Jones won three NCAA Division 1 wrestling titles. Shortly after his 5-3 decision of Cornell's Tyler Baier in the 184 pound finals, Jones was named the 2005 tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. In addition to his title in 2005, Jones won the 184 pound title in 2004 and the 174 pound title as a freshman in 2002. As of 2023, Jones serves as the head wrestling coach at MMA gym Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach FL.
Jérôme Philippe Le Banner is a French kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler. Le Banner fought for most of his career in K-1 and became known for his aggressive fighting style and knockout power. He is a 2-time K-1 World Grand Prix runner up, a 2-time K-1 Preliminary Grand Prix champion, and is a multiple time world champion in Kickboxing and Muay Thai. He holds notable victories over Ernesto Hoost (twice), Francisco Filho, Mark Hunt, Sam Greco, Mike Bernardo (twice), Peter Aerts, Rick Roufus, Remy Bonjasky, Tyrone Spong, Stefan Leko (twice), Masaaki Satake, Maurice Smith, Gary Goodridge (twice), Musashi (twice), Cyril Abidi and Choi Hong-man (twice).
Remy Kenneth Bonjasky is a Surinamese-Dutch former kickboxer. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix heavyweight champion, winning the title in 2003, 2004, and 2008. He is widely considered one of the greatest kickboxers of all time. Bonjasky has been known for his flying kicks, knee attacks and strong defense, hence the nickname "The Flying Gentleman".
Peter Aerts is a Dutch semi-retired kickboxer. Known for his devastating high kicks, which earned him the nickname "The Dutch Lumberjack", he is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all time.
Nathan "Carnage" Corbett is a New Zealand-born Australian former Muay Thai kickboxer, who has held 11 world titles in three weight-divisions.
Tyrone Clinton Spong is a Surinamese-Dutch professional boxer and mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. As a boxer, he held the WBC and WBO Latino heavyweight titles in 2018. In kickboxing, he is the former WFCA cruiserweight champion, Glory 95kg Slam Champion and It's Showtime 95MAX World champion.
Stefan Leko is a German heavyweight kickboxer. He is the current WKA Super-Heavyweight world champion in kickboxing, and former Muay Thai world super-heavyweight champion and Kickboxing world super-heavyweight champion, WMTA, WKN, IKBO, IKBF, and WKA world champion, K-1 European Grand Prix 1998 champion, 1999 K-1 Dream champion and two time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion. He fights out of Team Golden Glory in Breda, Netherlands under Cor Hemmers. Since 2011 Stefan Leko is coached and managed by Tom Trautsch and won two Heavyweight World Champion Titles.
Gökhan Saki is a Turkish-Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is a Dutch, European and World Muay Thai champion, K-1 World GP 2006 in Amsterdam tournament finalist, K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 in Hawaii champion and former Glory Light Heavyweight Champion. Saki also competed in the light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Cosmo Alexandre Moreira da Rocha is a Brazilian professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is a former It's Showtime 77MAX World Champion, WMC Intercontinental and WPMF World Champion, W5 World Champion.
James Adam McSweeney is a retired British kickboxer and retired mixed martial artist. A professional MMA competitor since 2005, McSweeney is well known for being a cast member of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights and competing in the UFC, but he has also competed in major European promotions such as KSW, Cage Rage and BAMMA.
Brice Guidon, also known as "Nectar", is a French Muay Thai kickboxer. He is the W.P.M.F. European Heavyweight and World Super Heavyweight Muaythai Champion, and the 2011 United Glory World Series runner-up. He has competed in the GLORY, K-1, It's Showtime and SUPERKOMBAT promotions.
Thom Harinck is a Dutch kickboxer and kickboxing trainer and founder of the Chakuriki Gym in Amsterdam. He is married to Marjan Olfers, former member of the board of Ajax and from 1 May 2012 professor in sports law.
Chakuriki Gym was a kickboxing gym and headquartered the International Chakuriki Association located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It was also known as Dojo Chakuriki, Pancration Chakuriki, and Chakuriki Amsterdam. Founded in 1972, it was one of the oldest and well-established kickboxing gyms in the Netherlands. It has produced many top-level kickboxers and including K-1 world champions such as Peter Aerts, Branko Cikatić and Badr Hari. It also provided training in wrestling, as well as instruction in knockdown karate, judo, boxing and mixed martial arts.
Amir "The Sphinx" Zeyada is an Egyptian-Dutch cruiserweight Muay Thai kickboxer currently fighting out of the Chakuriki Gym in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he is trained by Thom Harinck. He is a former Dutch national champion who originally started fighting as a middleweight. Zeyada holds two notable knockout victories over the highly rated Tyrone Spong. He’s the former runner up for the showtime belt.
Rustemi Kreshnik was a Belgian kickboxer who competed in the heavyweight division. Having moved to Belgium from Kosovo as a youngster, Kreshnik began training in Muay Thai and kickboxing while working as a bouncer. He turned professional in 2003 and rose to prominence by claiming the Belgian and Benelux titles before going on to become a gatekeeper in the It's Showtime promotion from 2009 until the organization's demise in 2012.
Randy “Boom Boom” Blake is an American kickboxer who competes in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Known for his speed and kicking ability, he began his martial arts training in karate at the age of seven before turning to kickboxing. He initially gained recognition fighting in the World Combat League, then went on the win and dominate the Xtreme Fighting League's Light heavyweight Kickboxing Championship with numerous title defenses. Blake won the ISKA World Heavyweight Muay Thai title in 2012 before going on to compete in K-1 and Glory.
The Blackzilians was a professional team of fighters in mixed martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, amateur wrestling and catch wrestling located in South Florida. The team had included former UFC champions Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Eddie Alvarez and Kamaru Usman.
Lucien Carbin is a Surinamese-Dutch former kickboxer, karateka and trainer. He was the first European Kyokushin karate champion, a world kickboxing champion and a European Savate and Muay Thai champion. As a trainer, he raised 49 world champions in different versions of martial arts.
Kill Cliff FC, officially known as Kill Cliff Fight Club is a mixed martial arts gym based in Deerfield Beach, Florida. It was originally founded in 2017 by Henri Hooft and Greg Jones as Combat Club and later Hard Knocks 365 before being rebranded to Sanford MMA in 2019 after obtaining a sponsorship deal with Sanford Health. In July 2022, the gym rebranded to Kill Cliff FC.