A martial arts store does not start with a wall full of gloves. In our case, it started with a martial artist with an idea, a study room and a desire to make equipment for his own sport accessible. In 2005, the foundations were laid for what would later become Fight2Win.nl.
The first step was called Taekwon-do.nl. The range began with doboks and protective gear. From that focused start, it grew into a broader martial arts specialist, with an online store, a showroom and its own brands. That growth connects its beginnings in one discipline to the specialist store Fight2Win has become.
This is the story behind Fight2Win and XPRT Fight Gear. It is about the connection to the training floor, the move from one discipline to several martial arts, and the work behind a store’s name.
The beginning in 2005: from a study room
Robin started the business while studying, working from his study room. At the time, he also taught in Rotterdam South. From the start, the sport and the business went hand in hand: it was not just about thinking what people might buy, but also about training and teaching himself.
His background includes ITF Taekwon-do, karate and kickboxing. Training camps and seminars in the 1990s and beyond also contributed to the experience behind the venture. His involvement in martial arts was the starting point, not a story added to the store later.
The idea was to create a specialist store for martial arts equipment. The aim was to make gear available in a modern, accessible way to people who already practiced the sport or wanted to start. The business was founded in 2005.
It was a modest beginning that still says something about Fight2Win. The store is closely connected to the sport its equipment is made for. That connection to the training floor is part of the company’s roots.
Taekwon-do.nl: starting with a clear focus
The first range consisted of doboks, the uniforms worn in Taekwon-do, and protective gear. The name Taekwon-do.nl made it immediately clear which sport the range was intended for.
Starting with a clear focus is different from trying to offer everything to everyone from day one. Taekwon-do gave the business a clear starting point. From that foundation, it began offering gear for other martial arts too.
Those roots have not disappeared as the range has grown. Traditional martial arts are still part of Fight2Win, alongside boxing and kickboxing, among others. The store has broadened its range, but its first chapter remains a Taekwon-do chapter.
From a slogan to Fight2Win
The slogan Fight2Win was introduced alongside the original store name. It became the foundation for the company's broader identity. While Taekwon-do.nl referred to a specific discipline, Fight2Win left room for a wider range of martial arts gear.
That broader scope is not just about covering more sports. A recreational kickboxer, a boxer and a Taekwon-do practitioner may all be looking for gear, but they do not necessarily need the same things. How they train and which discipline they practice make a difference.
Fight2Win became the name that brought those different needs together. The business grew from a focused start into a specialist store with more to offer different martial artists.
The story grew beyond an online store for a single sport. The original aim remained clear: to make martial arts gear accessible, with attention to how each person intends to use it.
The journey in four steps
- 2005 - The first step. Robin starts Taekwon-do.nl from his study, selling doboks and protective gear.
- From Taekwon-do.nl to Fight2Win. The slogan becomes the name of a martial arts store with a wider range.
- Our own brand: XPRT Fight Gear. Alongside the store, which carries various brands, our own product line is taking shape.
- Today - Online and in Waddinxveen. The online store and the showroom together make up Fight2Win.
XPRT Fight Gear: our own brand alongside the store
XPRT Fight Gear also emerged as Fight2Win developed. It is our own brand, available exclusively at Fight2Win. The store and the brand share a history, but serve different purposes.
Fight2Win is where different brands come together; XPRT is an in-house product line within that range. The brand includes boxing gloves, Taekwon-do uniforms, and kickboxing shorts, among other products. XPRT also reflects the combination of stand-up combat sports and traditional martial arts.
When the brand was created, martial artists and creative people came together around quality, design, and affordability. That gave both the name and the visual design a distinct place in the company's development.
Having our own brand does not mean every item in our store is an XPRT product. Fight2Win combines its own lines with equipment from other brands. Both are part of the same specialist store, but they are not the same thing.
The day-to-day work behind the webshop
To a visitor, a webshop is a collection of pages, photos, and products. Behind the scenes is work you are less likely to see: purchasing, contact with suppliers and brands, product information, images, and handling questions and orders.
Robin works on the website, purchasing, and relationships with suppliers and brands, among other things. The team handles other work, from day-to-day operations and customer contact to graphic design, product videos, and communications.
The store is more than just its product range. Explaining and presenting that range matters too. A product photo should show what an item looks like; a description should help you understand what it is for.
That work is part of being a specialist. Simply bringing together a lot of equipment is not the same as helping someone choose. The information around the products is part of the shopping experience, online just as much as during a visit in person.
A webshop and a showroom in Waddinxveen
Alongside its webshop, Fight2Win has a showroom in Waddinxveen. That gives you two ways to explore the range: browse and compare online, or see the equipment up close and try it on where possible.
Browsing on a screen and visiting in person aren’t quite the same experience. Online, you can read information and compare collections whenever it suits you. In the showroom, you can see how an item is finished or get a feel for how a suitable model fits.
The showroom complements the webshop; it isn’t a separate venture. Both are part of the same martial arts specialist. If you’re looking to buy equipment, you can choose the option that best suits your needs.
For practical information about visiting, check the current store address page. This article tells the story behind Fight2Win; opening hours and other visiting details belong where you can check them before your visit.
There’s room to explain the martial arts, too
Equipment raises questions that go beyond color or size. What is the difference between a boxing glove and an MMA glove? When do you use punching mitts or Thai pads? And how does the difference between kickboxing and MMA affect what you see during a match?
In the FightBase Journal, you can read more about what comes up in training: from choosing and caring for your gear to technique and structuring your training. You can also discover the stories behind martial arts and well-known brands.
That reflects how Fight2Win began: understand the sport first, then find the right equipment. The webshop and its content complement each other: clear guidance helps you understand the discipline and type of training, and choose suitable equipment.
The name grew, but the connection to the sport remained
From Taekwon-do.nl to Fight2Win, from doboks and protective gear to a wider range and its own brand: the business has taken several steps since it began in 2005.
The connection between the sport and the shop runs through that growth. You can see it in Robin’s background, in the origins of XPRT Fight Gear, and in the attention given to both equipment and guidance.
Fight2Win is more than just a name on a webshop. Behind that name is a business that started in martial arts and grew alongside the sport. Its story began in a study. The next chapters are still about the people, the training, and the equipment the shop exists to provide.
