Mixed emotions in Volendam for ProKick

Report on four ProKick fighters in Volendam, Holland:

Gary Lynch was the first to step into the ring for the Prokick team, marking his debut as a senior fighter—without shin guards, no less. It was a challenging introduction, truly a baptism of fire! While Gary struggled to find his rhythm, he displayed incredible grit and determination throughout the fight. Despite the tough start, this experience away from home will undoubtedly serve as a valuable learning opportunity.

The second fighter to represent Team ProKick was none other than Grace Goody, known as the 'Smiling Assassin.' Originally, Grace was set to face Safina Adil, but due to illness, Safina had to withdraw. A replacement was found within 24 hours—Kim de Man. This matchup carried high stakes, as Kim and Grace had already faced each other twice before, each securing one victory, making this their highly anticipated trilogy bout.

​The stage was set for an exciting fight, but unfortunately, it ended abruptly. Less than 30 seconds into the bout, a head clash left Grace with a cut above her left eye. After inspection by the ringside physician, the fight was called off, resulting in a no-contest decision. Will there be a four bout on the cards?!

Dan Braniff was the third fighter to step into the ring for ProKick, marking his second appearance in Volendam. In November 2023, Dan faced Omran Niazi from Team Atlas, a fight he narrowly lost by split decision. This time, Dan was determined not to let history repeat itself. Despite multiple last-minute changes to his opponent and even being told there might be no fight, the matchmakers finally secured a contender, and the fight was back on.

Abdulahi Idriss from Petres Gym was brought in to face Dan, and he didn’t make it easy. Abdulahi pushed Dan hard in every round, testing him at every turn. However, when the match ended, the judges’ decision was unanimous. Victory belonged to the Belfast boy, as the referee raised Dan's hand high in triumph.

The headline bout of the Bill Match faced its share of last-minute drama. Originally, Jay Snoddon was set to face Mohammed Mousavi at 61kg, but an injury forced Mousavi out of the fight. The matchmaker quickly secured a replacement: Rastino Petronia, a skilled and experienced 63kg technician from Loeks Gym. Despite the sudden change, Snoddon remained unfazed, delivering a relentless performance that saw him dominate Petronia from start to finish in the first two rounds of the scheduled three.

Snoddon appeared to be on track for a potential stoppage in the final round. However, out of nowhere, Petronia landed a perfectly-timed jumping knee, cutting Snoddon’s right eye severely and leaving blood streaming down the side of his face. The ringside doctor was called in and, after careful deliberation, decided to allow the fight to continue. With 1:20 remaining on the clock, Snoddon knew he had to protect his injured eye while convincing the judges he was still in control. It was as if he flipped a switch, pushing himself into overdrive and fighting with relentless determination until the final bell.

After an intense and hard-fought battle, the judges made their decision quickly. In a unanimous verdict, the victory went to the man in the blue corner—the Belfast Samurai, Jay Snoddon. The display of mutual respect between the fighters after the bout was a testament to the spirit of the sport.

Adding to the occasion, four-time K1 World Grand Prix Champion Ernesto Hoost was in attendance at ringside, having just arrived from Japan earlier that day to witness the action.

A special thanks goes to the Road2Victory gala, well organised by Robin Vriend and his team from the Sokudo Gym in Hoorn.

A big thank you to my amazing team who made this all possible! Huge shoutout to the backroom staff at ProKick in Belfast for keeping everything running smoothly while we were in Holland supporting the fight team. Well done to James Braniff for handling the camera (and so much more!) and to Adele for keeping us all organised. You’re all stars! 

Missed the live action? Don’t worry—you can catch all the excitement on demand at ProKick’s TV channel, prokick.tv