Henri Hooft

At a glance

• 89+ kickboxing fights with world and European titles
• Former head striking coach of the Blackzilians
• Cofounded in 2017 the gym that became Kill Cliff FC

Overview

Henri Hooft was born and raised in The Hague, Netherlands. He got into combat sports at 15 with full contact karate, then moved on to kickboxing. At 18 he left to train in Thailand. He fought more than 89 professional kickboxing bouts and 11 boxing matches, winning world and European titles.

He coached kickboxing champions Peter Aerts, Ernesto Hoost, Remy Bonjasky, and Tyrone Spong. He then became head striking coach for the Blackzilians in Florida. In 2017 he cofounded a new gym with Greg Jones, first called Combat Club and then Hard Knocks 365, which became Sanford MMA in 2019 and Kill Cliff FC in July 2022. Sanford Health sponsored the gym from 2019 to 2022, and the Kill Cliff drink brand took over the naming rights in 2022. The gym has had fighters compete in the UFC, the PFL, and ONE Championship.

What you'll find

On Instagram and X, Hooft posts camp and corner footage along with technical Dutch kickboxing content. You see his fighters at work in camp and hear his instructions during fights.

In MMA he has coached Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, and Anthony Johnson, as well as Eddie Alvarez, Jake Shields, and Matt Mitrione. Kill Cliff FC, based in Deerfield Beach, has also been home to Michael Chandler, Robbie Lawler, Luke Rockhold, and Derek Brunson. His personal website covers his background and his HKickboxing system. His website also lists Michael Johnson and Abel Trujillo among his fighters. At Kill Cliff FC he works alongside coaches Greg Jones, Jason Strout, Kami Barzini, and Corey Peacock.

Why follow

Hooft comes out of Dutch kickboxing, a style known for punch combinations finished with low kicks. He blended that base with Muay Thai into his own system and adapted it to MMA. He shows you how a kickboxing technique carries over into the cage.

His angle is technical analysis. He coached K-1 champions such as Peter Aerts, Ernesto Hoost, and Remy Bonjasky before working with UFC champions like Kamaru Usman. He has worked at the top level in both sports.

MMA Official's take

Henri Hooft is a fit for kickboxers and MMA athletes who want to sharpen their stand-up, and for fans who follow Kill Cliff FC's fighters.

Start with his Dutch kickboxing technique posts on Instagram, where you will find combinations you can drill in training. Then watch his corner footage from his fighters' bouts to see how he gives instructions between rounds.