Breda

A city with a kickboxing heritage

Breda's martial arts story does not begin with a single title or a single fight, but with the longstanding bond between trainers, fighters, and gyms. Hemmers Gym and the career of Ramon Dekkers put the city on the map in the international kickboxing world. Dekkers also fought in Thailand, where his name became associated with the encounter between Dutch kickboxing and Muay Thai.

More than kickboxing

That history still forms an important starting point, but Breda is not a city of just one discipline. Alongside kickboxing and Muay Thai, there are gyms for MMA, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and grappling. This allows visitors to discover the city both through its renowned kickboxing heritage and through other martial arts.

Breda in North Brabant

Breda is located in the west of North Brabant, near the Belgian border. This makes the city a recognizable starting point in the southern Netherlands in the story of fighters who also became active outside the Netherlands.

A local story with international reach

The international renown of Ramon Dekkers and the career of Cor Hemmers are linked to specific training locations in Breda. It is precisely this connection between a local gym and international martial arts that gives Breda its own place in Dutch martial arts history.

Cor Hemmers and the development of a gym in Breda

In 1984 Cor Hemmers started his own gym in Breda. The gym grew into Hemmers Gym. From this training environment, fighters developed for competitions outside the region, and the name Breda became associated with the Dutch kickboxing tradition.

Ramon Dekkers and Thailand

Ramon 'The Diamond' Dekkers is the best-known fighter in this history. As a student of Hemmers, he built an international career in kickboxing and Muay Thai. His performances in Thailand also brought recognition to the Breda gym outside the Netherlands. Their trainer-fighter relationship remains a lasting part of the city's sporting heritage.

From gym to international network

The development did not stop with one generation of fighters. Hemmers later became involved in professional combat sports networks, including Golden Glory and GLORY. This also connected Breda's training history with the organization of combat sports at an international level.

Kickboxing and Muay Thai

The Hemmers and Dekkers names make kickboxing and Muay Thai the most visible parts of Breda's martial arts history. Hemmers Gym is a historic anchor point: a Breda gym whose fighters reached the international competition circuit.

Other disciplines in the city

Breda also has schools and teams for other martial arts. Combat Brothers connects the city with MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu; the broader offering also includes grappling. Standing techniques and ground work thus exist side by side in Breda's martial arts landscape.