Ky Hollenbeck

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hollenbeck began wrestling at the age of ten and took up Muay Thai at fifteen initially to give him an edge against opponents while street fighting. However, under the guidance of Kru Sam Phimsoutham at the World Team USA gym, he was able to channel his aggression off the streets and into the ring, winning national and North American titles as an amateur nak muay.[3]

While studying kinesiology at the University of Hawaii, Hollenbeck turned professional and soon found himself fighting in K-1. At the K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 in Hawaii on April 28, 2007, he knocked out Mighty Mo, Jr., the fourteen-year-old son of Mighty Mo, with a spinning back kick in the first round.[4][5] Upon his return to the mainland, he won the IMTO California Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Billy Evangelista on points in Fresno, California on November 10, 2007.[6] In addition to the striking credentials, he also holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Ralph Gracie and pursued a career in mixed martial arts between 2007 and 2009, going 5-1 with four submission wins and one KO. He ultimately decided to continue with Muay Thai, citing opportunities to fight internationally in the sport as the deciding factor.[7]

In his first international match-up, Hollenbeck knocked out Shawn Lee inside the opening frame at the Legends of Heroes: Muaythai vs. Kung Fu event held in Pahang, Malaysia's Arena of Stars.[8][9] He then won a four-man 72.5 kg/160 lb tournament held over two days in Haikou, Haidian Island, China. In the semi-finals on December 18, 2010, he defeated Pavel Obozny via technical knockout due to knee strikes in round three before taking a unanimous decision over Steve Moxon in the final on December 19 to win the tournament title and $10,000 in prize money.[10][11][12]

He was scheduled to face Joe Schilling for the WBC Muaythai United States Super Middleweight (-76.204 kg/168 lb) Championship on March 5, 2011 in Los Angeles, California but he pulled out of that bout and was then expected to fight Yohan Lidon in a WBC Muaythai World Middleweight (-72.575 kg/160 lb) title match in April 2011.[13][14] The fight did not materialise, however, and he instead fought Vuyisile Colossa for the WCK Muay Thai World Middleweight (-75 kg/165.3 lb) title in Nanning, China on April 23, 2011. He outpointed his South African opponent over the five rounds to take the belt.[15][16] Less than a month later, on May 14, 2011, Hollenbeck beat Gregory Choplin by way of unanimous decision to be crowned the WBC Muaythai Interim World Middleweight Champion at Lion Fight: Battle in the Desert 2 in Primm, Nevada. Utilizing a wide array of attacks including flying knees and spinning elbows, he took the decision on score cards of 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46.[17][18][19] Then, in his third fight in as many months, he TKO'd Wong Foo Long in the second round of their contest in Manila, Philippines on June 26, 2011. This despite his opponent coming in 4.5 kg/10 lb over the agreed weight limit. Initially, it was expected that Hollenbeck would compete in the four-man Shandong World Sanda Tournament at the event but he was replaced by Dorian Price.[20][21][22]

A fight between Hollenbeck and Gornpet DeJrat was booked for Push Kick: World Stand Off in Pomona, California on July 16, 2011 but the event was cancelled.[23] On August 20, 2011, he made the first defence of his WBC Interim World title with a unanimous decision win over a resiliant Simon Chu at Lion Fight: Battle in the Desert 3 in Primm.[24][25][26][27]

Having signed with the short-lived Muaythai Premier League in August,[28] Ky Hollenbeck debuted with the promotion against Jordan Watson at Muaythai Premier League: Strength and Honor in Padova, Italy on October 8, 2011 and scored an upset as he floored the Englishman with a spinning backfist early on and won the three round bout by unanimous decision.[29][30][31] In his sophomore appearance in the MPL, he tasted defeat for the first time in his professional career when he dropped a unanimous decision to Nieky Holzken at Muaythai Premier League: Blood and Steel on November 6, 2011 in The Hague, Netherlands. Holzken knocked Hollenbeck down with a left hook after countering a flying knee in round one, and again with a spinning back kick and body shots as the final bell rang.[32][33][34]

Hollenbeck was set to fight John Wayne Parr at Knees of Fury 36 in Adelaide, Australia on February 25, 2012 but Parr was forced to withdraw after breaking his index finger in training and was replaced by Kym Johnson.[35][36][37] Hollenbeck then also pulled out of the fight for unknown reasons.[38] He instead kicked off his 2012 campaign against Cyrus Washington at the Legends Muay Thai Championship in his home town of San Francisco, California on April 28 and won with a vicious spinning elbow KO in round one to take the WMC Intercontinental Middleweight (-72.58 kg/160 lb) belt.[39][40][41]

Hollenbeck was recruited by the newly founded Glory kickboxing organization in April 2012[42][43] and was immediately entered into the 2012 70 kg/154 lb Slam tournament, made up of sixteen of the world's best middleweight kickfighters.[44][45] He was matched with fellow American Michael Corley at the tournament's opening stage, held in Stockholm, Sweden at Glory 1: Stockholm - 2012 70kg Slam First 16 on May 26, 2012,[46] and forced a standing eight count after rocking Corley with a right overhand in the opening seconds. He then swarmed on his opponent, causing referee Joop Ubeda to call a halt to the contest at the 0:47 mark of the first round.[47][48]

Another big fight then fell through for Hollenbeck as his match with Aikpracha Meenayotin at Push Kick: Thailand vs. The Americas in Pomona on August 18, 2012 was scrapped. Initially, Malaipet Sasiprapa filled in when Aikpracha withdrew but eventually the bout was cancelled.[49][50][51]

He was drawn against pound for pound great Giorgio Petrosyan in the quarter-finals of the 2012 Glory tournament at Glory 3: Rome - 2012 70kg Slam Final 8 on November 3, 2012 in Rome, Italy.[52][53] With his hair dyed in the colours of the American flag, Hollenbeck entered the fight as a massive underdog. Petrosyan scored a knockdown in round one with a perfectly timed right hook and, while Hollenbeck recovered from this blow, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and bowed out from this in round two.[54][55][56]

When Jordan Watson was unable to compete against Albert Kraus at Glory 10: Los Angeles - Middleweight World Championship Tournament in Ontario, California on September 28, 2013 due to visa issues, Ky Hollenbeck stepped in to take his place, completing his comeback from injury.[57] He won a dominant unanimous decision.[58][59]

He was scheduled face Shemsi Beqiri in the tournament reserve match at Glory 12: New York - Lightweight World Championship Tournament in New York City, New York on November 23, 2013.[60] However, Beqiri withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Warren Stevelmans.[61] In an ugly fight where Hollenbeck used his unorthodox style consisting of clinching and spinning back fists, he was able to outpoint the South African for much of the bout and scored a standing eight count with a knee in round two before winning a unanimous decision.[62][63][64]

Hollenbeck was set to face Andy Ristie for the inaugural Glory Lightweight (-70 kg/154 lb) Championship at Glory 14: Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia on March 8, 2014.[65] He withdrew from the match, however, in order to pursue a career in firefighting and the fight coincided with important dates of his training program.[66] He was replaced by Davit Kiria.[67]

The Hollenbeck-Ristie fight was then scheduled for Glory 17: Los Angeles in Inglewood, California on June 21, 2014.[68] Hollenbeck was stunned by a jab from Ristie before being knocked out with a left hook thirty-five seconds into round one.[69][70][71]

• International Muay Thai Organization
  • IMTO California Light Heavyweight Championship
• International Sport Karate Association
  • ISKA Amateur North American Light Heavyweight (-81.4 kg/179.5 lb) Championship
• Muay Thai Authority.com
  • 2010 North American Breakthrough Fighter of the Year[72]
  • 2011 North American Male Fighter of the Year[73]
• United States Muaythai Federation
  • USMF Amateur Welterweight Championship
• World Boxing Council Muaythai
  • WBC Muaythai Interim World Middleweight (-72.575 kg/160 lb) Championship
• World Championship Kickboxing Muay Thai
  • WCK Muay Thai 72.5 kg/160 lb Tournament Championship
  • WCK Muay Thai World Middleweight (-75 kg/165.3 lb) Championship
• World Muaythai Council
  • WMC Intercontinental Middleweight (-72.58 kg/160 lb) Championship