Denise Kielholtz (born 30 March 1989) is a Dutch female

Muay Thai Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinch fighting, cl ...

kickboxer Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid martial art and boxing type based on punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouth guards, shorts, and ...

and

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

, based in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. She has competed professionally since 2004 and is the current

Bellator Kickboxing Bellator Kickboxing was an American kickboxing promotion company based in Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, an ...

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. 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. Kielholtz was expected to face Lena Ovchynnikova in the co-main event of Bellator 196 in Budapest, Hungary on April 6, 2018. 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. She lost the fight via a submission. Kielholtz faced Bryony Tyrell at Bellator 223 on June 22, 2019. She won the fight via TKO in the third round. Kielholtz faced Sabriye Şengül at Bellator London 2 on November 23, 2019. She won the fight via an Americana submission in the first round. Kielholtz faced Kristina Williams at Bellator 239 on February 21, 2020. 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 Lucy Kate Jackson (born October 29, 1948), known professionally as Kate Jackson, is an American actress and television producer, known for her television roles as Sabrina Duncan in the series ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1979) and Amanda King i ...

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

Kana Watanabe is a Japanese mixed martial artist. She is competing in the Flyweight division of Bellator MMA. Kana Watanabe spent most of her career fighting in her native Japan, until she began fighting in Bellator MMA. Judo She started judo at the age of ...

on May 13, 2022 at

Bellator 281 ''Bellator 281: MVP vs. Storley'' (also known as '' Bellator London'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on May 13, 2022, at SSE Arena in London, England. Background Yaroslav Amosov was to make his firs ...

. She lost the fight via a triangle choke submission in the second round. Kielholtz faced Ilara Joanne on December 9, 2022, at Bellator 289. She lost the fight via split decision. Kielholtz faced Paula Cristina on May 12, 2023 at

Bellator 296 ''Bellator 296: Mousasi vs. Edwards'' (also known as ''Bellator Paris'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on May 12, 2023, at Accor Arena in Paris, France. Background The event marked the promotion's thir ...

. She won the fight by unanimous decision. Kielholtz faced Sumiko Inaba on November 17, 2023 at

Bellator 301 ''Bellator 301: Amosov vs. Jackson'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on November 17, 2023, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The event marked the final event to air on Showtime, an ...

. In a bout contested mostly on the feet, Kielholtz maintained the advantage and won the bout via unanimous decision. Kielholtz was scheduled to face

Taila Santos Taila Jaine dos Santos (born June 22, 1993) is a Brazilian mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who currently competes in the women's Flyweight division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL). She formerly competed in the Ultimate Fightin ...

on April 4, 2024 at PFL 1. However, a week before the event it was announced that Kielholtz had pulled out.

Personal life

Kielholtz was born in

to a Dutch father and a

Curaçao Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea (specifically the Dutch Caribbean region), about north of Venezuela. Curaçao includ ...

an mother. She is married to kickboxer Hesdy Gerges.

Championships and awards

Kickboxing

** Bellator Kickboxing Women's Flyweight Championship (One time, current) *

Enfusion Enfusion is a Dutch kickboxing promotion company based in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Labelled as one of the top kickboxing organizations in the world. It produces events worldwide, which showcase twelve kickboxing weight classes (12 male and 6 female ...

**2014

Enfusion Live Enfusion is a Dutch kickboxing promotion company based in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Labelled as one of the top kickboxing organizations in the world. It produces events worldwide, which showcase twelve kickboxing weight classes (12 male and 6 femal ...

Champion 57 kg (1 Title Def.) **2012

-60 kg (Winner) *

World Muay Thai Association The World Muay Thai Association (WMTA) is one of the oldest amateur and professional sanctioning organizations of Muay Thai in the world for the sport. The WMTA was created in the Netherlands as the World Muay Thai Association in 1984 by Thom Ha ...

**2013 WMTA Super Bantamweight World Champion * World Full Contact Association **2013 WFCA European Champion, -57 kg * Slamm **2011 Slamm Women's Championship -60 kg

Judo

*2008 Dutch Team Championships *2006 Dutch Open Espoir U20 Tournament *2005 Scottish Open U20 Championships Edinburgh *2005 Scottish Open Championships Edinburgh *2005 Dutch Championships U17 *2004 Dutch Open Espoir U17 Tournament *2003 Dutch Championships U15 Nieuwegein *2002 Dutch Championships U15 Nieuwegein

Boxing

*2012 Amateur Arabic Featherweight World Champion 55 kg (Defeated

Lorena Klijn Lorena Klijn (born September 20, 1987) is a Dutch kickboxer who competes in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions. Career Lorena Klijn rose to prominence by winning the World Professional Kickboxing League (WPKL) Women's World Flyweight Cham ...

) -56 kg

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Win , align=center, 8–5 , Sumiko Inaba , Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–5 , Paula Cristina , Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, France , , - , Loss , align=center, 6–5 , Ilara Joanne , Decision (split) , Bellator 289 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Uncasville, Connecticut Uncasville is a village in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is located in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 6–4 ,

, Submission (triangle choke) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:03 ,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England , , - , Loss , align=center, 6–3 , Juliana Velasquez , Decision (split) , Bellator 262 , , align=center, 5 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–2 ,

, KO (punches) , Bellator 247 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:43 ,

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

, Italy , , - , Win , align=center, 5–2 , Kristina Williams , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Bellator 239 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:15 ,

Thackerville, Oklahoma Thackerville is a town in Love County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located near the Texas state border. The population was 400 at the 2020 census. Geography Thackerville is situated near the intersection of U.S. Highway 77 and State High ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–2 , Sabriye Şengül , Submission (americana) , Bellator London 2 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:32 ,

, England , , - , Win , align=center, 3–2 , Bryony Tyrell , TKO (punches) , Bellator 223 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 2:48 ,

, England , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–2 , Veta Arteaga , Submission (guillotine choke) , Bellator 205 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:24 ,

Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–1 , Petra Částková , Decision (unanimous) , Bellator 196 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

, Hungary , , - , Win , align=center, 1–1 , Jessica Middleton , Submission (scarfhold armbar) , Bellator 188 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:16 ,

Tel Aviv, Israel Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

, , - , Loss , style="text-align:center;", 0–1 , Juliete de Souza Silva , Submission (armbar) , Torarica Summer Fights 1 , , style="text-align:center;", 1 , style="text-align:center;", N/A ,

Paramaribo Paramaribo ( , , ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Suriname, located on the banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 241,000 people (2012 census), almost half of Suriname's p ...

, Suriname , , -

Kickboxing record

, - style="background:#cfc;" , 2022-10-29 , , Win , , align=left, Laura Pileri , , HIT IT , ,

Rotterdam, Netherlands Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the New Meuse inland shi ...

, , Decision (unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 19–2 , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2017-04-08 , , Win , , align=left, Martine Michieletto , , Bellator Kickboxing 5 , ,

Torino Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, , Decision (unanimous) , , 5 , , 3:00 , , 18–2 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2016-12-10 , , Win , , align=left, Gloria Peritore , , Bellator Kickboxing 4, ,

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, , Decision (split) , , 5 , , 3:00 , , 17–2 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2016-09-17 , , Win , , align=left, Renata Lantos , , Bellator Kickboxing 3 , ,

Budapest, Hungary Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

, , Decision (unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 16–2 , - style="background:#fbb;" , 2016-06-24 , , Loss , , align=left, Gloria Peritore , , Bellator Kickboxing 2 , ,

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, United States , , Decision (split) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 15–2 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2016-04-16 , , Win , , align=left,

Veronica Vernocchi Veronica Vernocchi (born ) is an Italian female Muay Thai fighter and Kickboxer artist, based in Genoa, Italy. Championships and awards Kickboxing * 2013 - WKA Kickboxing World Champion * 2013 - Championships Oktagon * 2012 - Championships Okta ...

, , Bellator Kickboxing 1 , , Torino, Italy , , Decision (split) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 15–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2014-11-23 , , Win , , align=left, Tiffany van Soest , , Enfusion Live 22 , , Groningen, Netherlands , , Decision (unanimous) , , 5 , , 3:00 , , 14–1 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2014-04-26 , , Win , , align=left, Lucia Krajčovič , , Enfusion Live 17 , , Žilina, Slovakia , , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 13–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2014-04-26 , , Win , , align=left, Ilona Wijmans , , Enfusion Live 12 , , Alkmaar, Netherlands , , Decision (Overturned) , , 5 , , 3:00 , , 12–1 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2013-09-17 , , Win, , align=left, Vicky Church , , Enfusion 4: Search for the SuperPro, Finals , , Koh Samui, Thailand , , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 11–1 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2013-09-17 , , Win, , align=left, Manal Salman , , Enfusion 4: Search for the SuperPro, Semi Finals , , Koh Samui, Thailand , , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 10–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2013-06-29 , , Win , , align=left,

Christi Brereton Christi Coral Brereton (née Campbell; born 26 November 1992) is an English people, English female kickboxer and muay thai fighter based in Okehampton. She has fought for a WBC Muaythai title. Christi Brereton is signed with kickboxing organisat ...

, , Enfusion Live 6 , ,

London, England London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, , Decision (Unanimous) , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 9–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2013-04-13 , , Win , , align=left, Alena Hola , , , , Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands , , Decision , , , , , , 8–1 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2013-02-18 , , Win , , align=left, Christina Morales , , , , The Hague, Netherlands , , Decision , , 5 , , 2:00 , , 7–1 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2012-12-02 , , Win , , align=left, Lucy Payne , , Enfusion 3: Trial of the Gladiators, Final , , Ljubljana, Slovenia , , Decision , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 6–1 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2012-12-02 , , Win , , align=left, Lindsay Scheer , , Enfusion 3: Trial of the Gladiators, Semi Finals , , Ljubljana, Slovenia , , Decision , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 5–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2012-05-27 , , Win , , align=left, Kateřina Svobodová , , Slamm 7: Holland vs Thailand , , , , Decision , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 4–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2011-12-28 , , Win , , align=left, , , Slamm!! Soema Na Basi II , ,

Paramaribo, Suriname Paramaribo ( , , ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Suriname, located on the banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 241,000 people (2012 census), almost half of Suriname's p ...

, , Decision (unanimous) , , , , 3:00 , , 3–1 , - ! style=background:white colspan=9 , , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2011-04-10 , , Win , , align=left, Sindy Huyer , , Almere's Finest , , Almere, Netherlands , , Decision , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 2–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2010-08-29 , , Win , , align=left, Lindsay Scheer , , Slamm Fighting with the Stars - B- Class , ,

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

, , Decision , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 1–1 , - style="background:#fbb;" , 2009-11-29 , , Loss , , align=left, Lindsay Scheer , , Slamm Holland vs. Thailand , , , , Decision , , 3 , , 3:00 , , 0–1 , - , colspan=9 , ''Legend'':

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kielholtz, Denise 1989 births Living people Dutch female kickboxers Martial artists from Amsterdam Dutch female mixed martial artists Dutch female Muay Thai practitioners Featherweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing Muay Thai Mixed martial artists utilizing boxing Mixed martial artists utilizing kickboxing Mixed martial artists utilizing judo Flyweight kickboxers Dutch female judoka Dutch women boxers Dutch people of Curaçao descent Bellator female fighters 21st-century Dutch sportswomen