Sanford MMA (formerly Hard Knocks 365)

The Sanford rebrand

Sanford MMA was founded in 2017 in Sanford, Florida (later moved to Deerfield Beach) as Hard Knocks 365. The gym was rebranded to Sanford MMA in 2019-2020 under the head-coaching partnership of Henri Hooft (Dutch kickboxing specialist) and Greg Jones (American wrestling specialist).

The defining feature is the Dutch-kickboxing-plus-American-wrestling fusion. Where ATT operates a Brazilian-foundation program and CKB a kickboxing-first program, Sanford MMA combines Dutch K-1-style striking with NCAA Division I-style wrestling — a hybrid that's produced championship-level athletes in multiple weight classes.

The roster

• Cris Cyborg — UFC + Bellator + Strikeforce + Invicta women's featherweight champion
• Michael Chandler (camp affiliation) — Bellator + UFC lightweight contender
• Zhang Weili (training partnership) — UFC women's strawweight champion
• Multiple regional UFC and Bellator contracted fighters

The roster includes both full-time Sanford-based athletes and visiting fighters who use the gym for specific camps. The training-partnership model with Zhang Weili (who's primarily based in China but trains at Sanford for major-camp preparation) is the most-visible international affiliation.

The Henri Hooft striking program

Henri Hooft is the Dutch kickboxing specialist who anchors the striking program. His coaching produces:

• Lead-leg leg kicks: low-and-middle kicks attacking the opponent's lead leg.
• Switch kicks: stance-switch kicks integrated with hand combinations.
• Tight boxing: K-1-derived hand combinations with strong defense.
• Clinch knee work: Muay Thai-influenced clinch offense.

The striking program is among the most-respected in MMA after Trevor Wittman's and Eugene Bareman's.

The wrestling complement

Greg Jones and rotating wrestling coaches contribute the American-wrestling component. The Sanford wrestling program is less elite than AKA's but adequate for the gym's championship-level striking-base athletes.

The training facility

Sanford MMA's Deerfield Beach facility (operational since 2021) is one of the largest combat-sports training spaces in the US, with dedicated rooms for striking, wrestling, BJJ, and S&C. The roster's preparation environment is well-resourced.

The legacy

Sanford MMA is the canonical example of the modern multi-discipline MMA gym. The Dutch-kickboxing-plus-American-wrestling fusion produces athletes who can compete in any range at championship level, and the partnership-with-visiting-athletes model has made the gym a destination camp for international fighters preparing major UFC bouts.