Michael Passenier (born 9 April 1969) is a Dutch

kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...

trainer who owns Mike's Gym in

Oostzaan Oostzaan () is a municipality and a town in the Zaanstreek, Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The municipality had a population of in . Oostzaan has a total area of of which is water. Oostzaan—together with Westzaan and Assen ...

, Netherlands. He is also known by the nickname "Big Mike".

Biography

Passenier was born and raised in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

. He played

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

in his youth. At the age of 15, he attended a kickboxing event for the first time, and became impressed by the visitors and the atmosphere. While working in a bar, he met kickboxing world champion

Gilbert Ballantine Gilbert Ballantine (born 14 March 1961) is a retired Surinamese-Dutch kickboxer and a nine times kickboxing world champion. After his kickboxing career Ballantine also took part in Mixed martial arts competition, winning three Rings Dutch champio ...

. Passenier sparred with Ballantine, who appreciated Passenier's skills and invited him to work as an assistant coach. Passenier never entered the professional ring himself.

Mike's Gym

Passenier began teaching martial arts in 2002. A year later, he opened his own gym, named Mike's Gym. Passenier became more known in the world of kickboxing when he trained

Joerie Mes Joerie "The Shark" Mes (born March 16, 1979) is a Dutch former welterweight kickboxer, fighting out of Mike's Gym in Amsterdam. He is a former Dutch and European Muay Thai champion who later competed in K-1 MAX. He is widely regarded as one of ...

, who was considered one of the best combination specialists in kickboxing. The silhouette of Mes was made part of the Mike's Gym logo. Mike's Gym became one of the biggest martial arts gyms in the Netherlands. Passenier's pupils are distinguished by their willingness to win by knockout during a bout. They do not use points-oriented tactics. Passenier trained many world champions, including

Melvin Manhoef Melvin Manhoef (born 11 May 1976) is a retired Surinamese-born Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. In kickboxing, he is a former It's Showtime Middleweight Champion, and in MMA he was the Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion. In mixed mar ...

Badr Hari Badr Hari (born 8 December 1984) is a Moroccan-Dutch kickboxer. He is a former K-1 Heavyweight World Champion (2007–2008), It's Showtime Heavyweight World Champion (2009–2010) and ''K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 and 2009'' finalist. Born an ...

Murthel Groenhart Murthel Cyrill Dwyth Groenhart (born October 10, 1986) is a Dutch-Surinamese mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. Groenhart is the 2012 K-1 World MAX World Championship Tournament Champion and former Glory Welterweight Champion. Career ...

and

Sahak Parparyan Sahak "Hak" Parparyan ( hy, Սահակ Պարպարյան; born 4 September 1988) is an Armenian heavyweight- cruiserweight kickboxer, who is sometimes referred to as Sahak "Hak" Avetisyan. He is currently fighting out of the Van Os Gym in Alkmaar ...

. At certain stages of their careers, he coached top contenders such as

Artur Kyshenko Artur Kyshenko ( Ukrainian: Артур Кишенко, born November 14, 1986) is a Ukrainian middleweight kickboxer, fighting out of Kyshenko Gym. He is the 2015 Kunlun Fight 80 kg Tournament World Champion and K-1 World MAX 2008 Finalist. ...

Gökhan Saki Gökhan Saki (born 18 October 1983Alistair Overeem Alistair Cees Overeem (born 17 May 1980) is a Dutch professional heavyweight mixed martial artist and kickboxer, currently competing in the heavyweight division of Glory. He is a former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Heavyweight C ...

Freddy Kemayo Freddy Kemayo (born May 6, 1982) is a French heavyweight kickboxer. He is a three-time French Kickboxing Champion. Biography and career Kemayo joined Faucon Gym in 1999 and has been training there under Bingo and Richard Roudy ever since. In 200 ...

, Björn Bregy, Sergey Adamchuk and Sergei Lashchenko. On November 26, 2009, a fire broke out in the building next to Jim's Gym, and burned down the Gym. The gym was reopened on March 29, 2010. In February 2019, Mike's Gym partnered with the well known Vos Gym, led by

Ivan Hippolyte Ivan "The Hydro" Hippolyte (born 7 October 1964) is a Surinamese-Dutch former kickboxer World champion. He is currently the chairman and coach at the Vos Gym in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He is a former sparring partner and teammate of four time K-1 ...

. Both gyms operated under one building.

Notable fighters trained

Gökhan Saki Gökhan Saki (born 18 October 1983Artur Kyshenko Artur Kyshenko ( Ukrainian: Артур Кишенко, born November 14, 1986) is a Ukrainian middleweight kickboxer, fighting out of Kyshenko Gym. He is the 2015 Kunlun Fight 80 kg Tournament World Champion and K-1 World MAX 2008 Finalist. ...

Paul Daley Paul Anthony Daley (born 21 February 1983) is a British former mixed martial artist and kickboxer. A professional competitor from 2003 to 2022, Daley competed for the UFC, Bellator MMA, Cage Rage, Final Fight Championship, Strikeforce, Elit ...

* Björn Bregy *

Alistair Overeem Alistair Cees Overeem (born 17 May 1980) is a Dutch professional heavyweight mixed martial artist and kickboxer, currently competing in the heavyweight division of Glory. He is a former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Heavyweight C ...

Giga Chikadze Giga Chikadze ( Georgian: გიგა ჭიკაძე, born 25 August 1988) is a Georgian mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. He currently competes in the Featherweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Chikadze fo ...

* Sergey Adamchuk * Sergei Lashchenko *

Cosmo Alexandre Cosmo Alexandre Moreira da Rocha (born 24 April 1982 in São Vicente, São Paulo) is a Brazilian professional kickboxer, boxer, and mixed martial artist. He is a former It's Showtime 77MAX World Champion, WMC Intercontinental and WPMF World ...

Yousri Belgaroui Yousri Belgaroui (born 2 June 1992) is a Tunisian-Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division of Glory, where he is former three-time Glory Middleweight Championship challenger. He was ranked as a top t ...

Donegi Abena Donegi Abena (born February 23, 1998) is a Surinamese-Dutch kickboxer, currently competing in the Light Heavyweight division of Glory. A professional competitor since 2015, Abena is a one-time Glory Light Heavyweight title challenger. He is r ...

Antonio Plazibat Antonio Plazibat (born 12 December 1993) is a Croatian professional kickboxer, who currently competes in the Heavyweight division of Glory. Plazibat was the 2014 FFC Futures Light Heavyweight tournament winner, the 2017 K-1 WGP Heavyweight Worl ...

* Stoyan Koprivlenski *

Jamal Ben Saddik Jamal Ben Saddik (; born October 3, 1990) is a Belgian-Moroccan professional kickboxer. He is a former two-time Glory Heavyweight Championship challenger and 2018 Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament winner. Combat Press ranked him as a to ...

Anissa Haddaoui Anissa Haddaoui (born 30 May 1991) is a Dutch- Moroccan boxer, kickboxer, muay thai fighter and BJJ practitioner, who has been professionally competing since 2008. She is a former EBF two weight European champion, IRO European and World ki ...

Mellony Geugjes Mellony Geugjes (born ) is a Dutch female kickboxer and mixed martial artist, based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She has competed professionally since 2009 and is the current ISKA Featherweight champion which she won by defeating Dilara Yildiz. Mi ...

References

External links

Mike's Gym Official WebsiteOfficial Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Passenier, Mike 1969 births Kickboxing trainers Living people Martial arts school founders Mixed martial arts trainers Sportspeople from Amsterdam