Kickboxing in Almere: Bonjasky, Simson, and local history

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Introduction

History of this sport

A young city and a new sports culture. Almere does not have Amsterdam’s long kickboxing history. The young city developed its own sports culture as new residents built their lives there. Rayen Simson moved to Almere with his family as a child. In his biography, he describes how he and his friends were not keen on moving to a city that was then known as “colorless.” Later, he would build a gym of his own there.

Bonjasky Academy from 2010. Remy Bonjasky opened Bonjasky Academy in Almere in 2010. The three-time K-1 World Grand Prix winner now had a place of his own to pass on his experience. A second location followed in Hilversum in January 2020. The Almere academy connects his international career with the everyday training life of the city.

Simson Gym in Almere Buiten. Rayen Simson’s Simson Gym is on Papiermolenweg in Almere Buiten. He runs the gym with Anne and Joy Simson. The gym brings together the experience of “Tru Bala” with that of competitive fighters and youth coaches from the school. Well-known names who train at Simson Gym include Sarah Debaieb and Dolly Macbean.

WFL at the Topsportcentrum. From 2016 to 2018, Melvin Manhoef’s World Fighting League held several tournaments at the Topsportcentrum Almere. In April 2017, Almere’s Darryl Sichtman reached the final of the tournament for fighters up to 86 kilos. On October 29 that year, after more than three years away, Bonjasky returned to the ring to face Manhoef. The event was sold out in the year the Topsportcentrum celebrated its tenth anniversary.

A fourth meeting in Almere. Bonjasky and Manhoef had already faced each other three times: Bonjasky won in 2002, 2008 and 2009. In Almere, Manhoef won their fourth bout on points. On the same night, Tarik Khbabez defeated Frenchman Nordine Mahieddine. Bonjasky’s comeback was therefore part of a card that also featured other international kickboxers.

Local connections

Champions like Almeerse trainers. Bonjasky and Simson combine international competition experience with everyday sports life in Almere. Bonjasky has his Academy at Markerkant; Simson runs the gym in Almere Buiten with his family. At Simson Gym, Debaieb and Macbean’s careers come together with the coaching of young athletes.

Kickboxing with care and guidance. The collaboration between Bonjasky Academy and Kwadrant Arkemeyde brings young people with mild intellectual disabilities onto the training floor. Friday training is about more than exercise; it also focuses on recognizing boundaries and dealing with aggression. This gives the experience of a top fighter a place in supporting young people in Almere.

From the swimming pool to Simson Gym. New Wave Almere and Simson Gym have been working together since 2021. Swimmers do strength and kickboxing training at the school. The collaboration connects two different sports in the city and shows that a kickboxing gym can also be a training space for athletes with other competition goals.

An international stage in Almere. The WFL tournaments brought both Almeerse and international fighters to the Topsportcentrum. Darryl Sichtman made it to a final; Bonjasky made his comeback there. On the night of Bonjasky versus Manhoef, Tarik Khbabez also beat Nordine Mahieddine. The audience thus saw local names and international opponents come together on the same card.

Martial arts facts

WFL at the Top Sports Center: 2016–2018
Sold-out anniversary gala: 29 October 2017
Four times Bonjasky against Manhoef: The fourth meeting in Almere
Tarik Khbabez at the WFL gala in Almere: Victory in 2017
Kickboxing and swimming: Partnership since 2021

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Clubs and training locations

Training in this city

Getting started with kickboxing in Almere. Bonjasky Academy and Simson Gym are two well-known training venues in Almere. Decide in advance what you’re looking for: learning to punch and kick, improving your fitness, or preparing for competitions. Ask the gym which group suits your experience and inquire about a trial class. Even if you’re not aiming to compete, you can find a training style that works for you.

Technique and coaching. During a trial class, pay attention to the instructions on stance, footwork, punches, kicks, and defense. Ask how drills on pads, a punching bag, and with a partner are structured. Good coaching gives you room to ask questions and practice techniques step by step, without having to keep up with the pace of more experienced participants.

Youth classes and appropriate support. For a child, it’s important that the class suits their age and experience. Ask how the trainer supervises contact drills and what rules apply. If an athlete needs extra support, discuss this with the gym beforehand. Bonjasky Academy works with Kwadrant Arkemeyde; contact them directly to find out what support and participation requirements apply to the training in question.

Sparren and equipment. Ask in advance whether sparren is part of the classes, when beginners can join in, and whether it’s possible to train without sparren. Ask which gloves and protective gear you need and whether you can borrow equipment for your first class. That way, you’ll buy equipment suited to the training you’ll actually be doing.

Choose a club

Choose the class that suits you. A well-known champion can be inspiring, but your own goal determines which school in Almere is right for you. Compare the support offered to beginners, the group structure and the current range of classes. Ask how the trainer corrects techniques and whether there are classes for your age, skill level and any competition plans.

Experience the atmosphere in a trial class. Pay attention to how athletes interact, how instructions are given and what the rules are for contact drills. Can you ask questions, and are your boundaries respected? Discuss how training partners are matched and how the trainer monitors intensity. A welcoming environment helps you keep training with confidence.

A convenient route through Almere. Bonjasky Academy is located at Markerkant 14-11; Simson Gym is on Papiermolenweg in Almere Buiten. Compare travel time with your daily commute, the class schedule and the costs. Check the addresses, class times and membership terms with the school before you choose. A good training location should also be convenient enough for regular visits.

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Athletes with a connection to this city

Remy ‘The Flying Gentleman’ Bonjasky. Bonjasky was born in Paramaribo in 1976 and lives in Almere. He won the K-1 World Grand Prix in 2003, 2004 and 2008. His nickname, ‘The Flying Gentleman’, suits the jumping techniques that made him famous. With the opening of Bonjasky Academy in 2010, his connection to Almere also gained a dedicated training facility.

The 2008 K-1 final. In his third K-1 World Grand Prix victory, Bonjasky faced Badr Hari in the final. Hari was disqualified after punching and kicking Bonjasky while he was on the ground. Bonjasky could not continue because he was seeing double. The final therefore ended differently from his previous title bouts, but he still won his third tournament.

Bonjasky’s comeback in his hometown. On October 29, 2017, Bonjasky returned to the ring after more than three years. At the Topsportcentrum Almere, he lost on points to Melvin Manhoef. It was Manhoef’s first win over him, after three previous losses. Outside the ring, Bonjasky also supported Stoptober, alongside others including fellow Almere resident Patty Brard.

Rayen ‘Tru Bala’ Simson. Simson grew up in Almere from a young age and built a long international career. According to his biography, he fought 123 times and won 102 bouts. His opponents included Ramon Dekkers, Ivan Hippolyte and Joeri Mes, with whom he shared the ring repeatedly. According to that same biography, he and Dekkers experienced a rare double knockout. He also reached second place in the Lumpinee Stadium rankings in Bangkok.

Simson: from the ring to the gym. In 2010, Simson fought his final bout at the Amsterdam ArenA. His career also took him to other Dutch cities. In 2005, he lost a title fight to Perry Ubeda in Nijmegen; in 1998, he defeated Rotterdam native Stjepan Veselic. At Simson Gym in Almere Buiten, he now passes on his experience to other athletes together with his family.

Sarah Debaieb. Debaieb trains at Simson Gym and became WFMC world champion in the under-60-kilo division in Germany on November 2, 2014. She defeated the undefeated reigning champion Dilara Kocak. A year earlier, she had considered retiring, partly after breaking her nose. In December 2014, she also won an Arab title in Dubai with a technical knockout in the fourth round.

Dolly Macbean. At the age of 36, Macbean won the Enfusion world title in the under-67-kilo A-class in Darmstadt. The fighter from Almere is also a youth coach at Simson Gym. This makes her both a competitive role model at the gym and someone who guides young athletes as they learn kickboxing.

Darryl Sichtman. Almere native Sichtman reached the final of the WFL tournament in the under-86-kilo division at the Topsportcentrum in April 2017. He represented Van Itterzon Sport. He lost to Ertuğrul Bayrak in the final. His performance gave the Almere audience a local finalist at one of the WFL tournaments in the city.

Djay Gijsen. Gijsen started kickboxing at the age of six after a kickboxer came to teach at his elementary school. When Almere Deze Week profiled him at age fourteen, he had already won three European titles in his age and weight class. His ambition was clear: to become world champion at GLORY. His story shows how a first introduction at school can grow into serious competitive plans.

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Trainers with a connection to this city

Remy Bonjasky and Bonjasky Academy. Since 2010, Bonjasky has had his own academy in Almere. The school lists a training space of more than 1,200 square meters and NOC*NSF elite sports status. Its current address is Markerkant 14-11. In January 2020, Bonjasky also opened a location in Hilversum. In Almere, he passes on the experience of his K-1 career to a new generation of athletes through his academy.

Training with Kwadrant Arkemeyde. Bonjasky Academy works with care organization Kwadrant Arkemeyde. Young people with mild intellectual disabilities train there on Fridays. The lessons focus on managing aggression and recognizing boundaries. The partnership gives young people a place to exercise under supervision and learn to manage their own reactions and those of others.

Rayen Simson and his family. Simson Gym on Papiermolenweg in Almere Buiten is run by Rayen, Anne, and Joy Simson. The club presents Rayen as an eight-time world champion, a figure also cited in his biography. His many years of competition experience are an important part of the school's background. Dolly Macbean is both a competition fighter and a youth trainer there.

Simson Gym and New Wave Almere. In 2021, swimming club New Wave Almere and Simson Gym began working together. Swimmers take strength and kickboxing training at the gym. This also brings athletes who are not training for a kickboxing match to the school, where they experience another form of exercise.

Van Itterzon Sport. Van Itterzon Sport is connected to Darryl Sichtman's competition history in Almere. He represented this gym when he reached the final of the WFL tournament in the up-to-86-kilogram division at Topsportcentrum Almere in April 2017. He faced Ertuğrul Bayrak in the final.