THACKERVILLE, Okla. – Dutch kickboxing starlet Denise Kielholtz is confident that she’s one step away from conquering another sport.
Kielholtz (5-2 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) scored a first-round submission finish over Kristina Williams at Bellator 239 as she notched her third straight win. It was a big step forward in her MMA career, and one that she believes should catapult her to a title eliminator bout in her next appearance.
“I think we hope one more fight, one more win and then I’m one-thousand percent ready for the world champion, for Ilima-Lei or someone else, but for the title shot,” Kielholtz told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage at WinStar World Casino.
Kielholtz already holds Bellator’s women’s flyweight kickboxing title, but remains committed to her MMA journey and is hopeful that her continued progression will result in an MMA title somewhere down the line.
“It all depends on Bellator, but if I have to be honest, in kickboxing I am the world champion for years and I fought the best of the best and I won,” she said. “I have six world titles, so there’s no more fire in that division for me, and in MMA there’s so much more.
“I think if I have to be honest I think that, in MMA, I find my place and I’m really eager and hungry to get a better version of myself and to go one day for the belt. So I now see my future in MMA. I see more progression.”
Kielholtz showed off her evolving MMA skillset by making quick work of Williams on the ground, as she proved that she’s certainly not a one-dimensional fighter.
“Everybody thinks, ‘Oh, she’s a kickboxer,’ but I want to show everyone yes, I am a kickboxer, but I can do so many things also on the ground,” she explained. “And now that I have my new head coach, Bob Schrijber, with Team Schrijber, I see myself so much more growing as an MMA fighter. Like you see in my fights, (I’m) now more than just a kickboxer.”
Kielholtz capitalized on a telegraphed spinning back kick by Williams, as she grabbed a hold of her opponent, then took her to the ground, where she quickly transitioned to the back and locked up a rear-naked choke for the win.
“Miss Dynamite” admitted she was a little surprised by the way the fight panned out.
“I wasn’t planning on going to the ground because I was planning to keep my stand up, but I saw that she made a mistake, she turned her back and then I saw a chance. OK, I take her down and I didn’t even think I could make a rear-naked choke, because now at this point, I feel I can’t believe it. I see myself growing as an MMA fighter, so I’m still flabbergasted.”
