MMA
Denis Souza: Kicking for it
Brazilian kickboxer and muay thai figher Denis Souza is quickly making an international name for himself.
Denis Souza (Jr): Kickboxing Young Gun
Denis Souza is an up and coming kickboxer and muay thai fighter from Brazil. ‘Denis Jr’ has now moved onto the international stage, where he has had breakthrough success, and is well on his way to making a name for himself in a sport often overshadowed by MMA. Wade McElwain from SportsBoom had the pleasure of interviewing rising kickboxing star Denis Souza and his girlfriend/ translator Pamella Sieleman in an exclusive interview. Denis shared insights into his training regimen, family life, and future wedding plans.
Training Through Protein
When asked about his diet, Denis explained: "He understands that his main force is protein that allows him to get stronger based on the protein and his body is very used to it. So it doesn't get too hard for him to lower on the way."Denis prefers to train extensively rather than cut calories or food groups. As his Pamella noted, "He prefers to train 10, 20 times a day rather than cutting on certain foods.” As a young man, Denis capable of going for it hard all the time, and able to recover with no ramifications on body or spirit. Lucky him.
Europe Dominates Kickboxing
According to Souza, kickboxing has expanded globally, making it hard to pinpoint one country. However, he sees Europe as a dominant force, especially countries like Portugal, Italy, Holland, and Kazakhstan. It’s a whole new world for the Brazilian as he hopes to encounter new formidable opponents in the area: “Seeing Europe dominating the whole kickboxing area. So it ends up being a surprise when you see such countries doing such big stuff in kickboxing.” Denis Jr is ready for the big stuff, and whoever is ready to bring it.
Balancing Family and Fighting
Denis has been training since age 5 under his father, who is his coach. His whole family works at the gym, so they understand the dedication required. As Denis Jr shared: "It's very easy to be able to separate family and business because they, when all of them are on a diet such as him and his brother, everyone ends up being on a diet. So it's something they're very used to.” This discipline and support helps Denis maintain his mental health during intense training. It’s a family affair, when those family affairs are to kick other people in the head.
Looking Ahead to Marriage
When asked about wedding plans, Pamella revealed they hope to marry in two years. With Denis gaining more international recognition, his future base is uncertain. As she shared: "He doesn't know if he's planning on staying in Brazil or going far. So it's all up in the air at the moment.” Wherever Denis ends up, his bright future in kickboxing is clear.
When Wade commented that his best decision in wedding planning was to just say ‘yes’ to whatever Pamella wanted, Denis Jr blushed in defeat, knowing that this new partnership is going to take love and trust. And he's got lots of that. Denis Jr just keeps on winning.
As a competitive kickboxer, we hope that you’ll also help support and follow Denis Souza Jr in his career efforts. Here is his Instagram if you want to give him a follow.
@denisjnior
Wade McElwain is our Mr. NFL, a bona fide North American sports nut who knows about NBA, NHL, MLB, PGA plus MMA boxing and more. Originally from Canada, Wade is also an international award-winning stand-up comedian; host of numerous TV game shows; and a TV producer & writer. He also runs NFL in London-the largest NFL fan group in Europe, and has hosted NFL events at Wembley and around the world. Yes, he lives alone and does nothing but watch sports.