Kickboxing in Rotterdam

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Introduction

History of this sport

From Japan to the Netherlands. Kickboxing originated in Japan in the 1950s and 1960s. The sport came to the Netherlands in the mid-1970s: in 1975, three Dutch karate practitioners, Jan Plas, Peter van den Hemel and Jan van Looijen, were invited to Japan for a training camp. After returning, Jan Plas developed his experience further. Rotterdam already had a head start: full contact was already known in the Netherlands, and its foundations were primarily in Rotterdam. Many martial arts schools subsequently changed styles and switched to kickboxing.

Galas in Ahoy. Rotterdam grew into an important city for the sport. From the 1990s onward, major galas were held there, including at Ahoy, with tournaments such as The Night of the Stars (1994) and Night of Fights (1991), where Frank Lobman faced, among others, Peter Aerts and Bas Rutten. That tradition continues: Glory regularly hosts events at Ahoy, such as GLORY 62, featuring a tournament for eight heavyweights, and Glory 76 on December 19, 2020, which had been postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2026, The Hague kickboxer Mohamed Touchassie won the GLORY Collision tournament in Rotterdam.

A gritty story, too. According to research into the sport’s history, early Dutch kickboxing also had a rough side, with ties to nightlife and the underworld. Rotterdam names also feature in this history, as described in the publication Knokkers en vrije jongens.

Local connections

Family-run businesses in the city. Several kickboxing gyms in Rotterdam are family-run businesses. Oosterbaan Gym on Laagjesweg in Rotterdam-Zuid specializes in kickboxing and boxing and has now been passed on to the next generation of the Oosterbaan family. The Portier brothers, Roy, Edison, and Jeffrey, have run Pendekar Rotterdam since 1985, passing on their Muay Thai experience to new generations of athletes.

From full contact to kickboxing. The roots of kickboxing in Rotterdam lie in the full-contact style already known in the city. When kickboxing came to the Netherlands from Japan in the mid-1970s, many gyms changed their style and switched to the new sport. Today’s range of offerings is therefore directly linked to the city’s early martial arts history.

Martial arts facts

Knockout machine: Frank Lobman
The greatest champion in length: Semmy Schilt
Young talent: Amira Tahri
Stage at Ahoy: Major kickboxing galas in Rotterdam since the 1990s

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Clubs and training locations

Training in this city

Technique and coaching. Rotterdam offers various ways to practice kickboxing. If you want to learn the sport, you’ll work on footwork, punches, kicks, and defense. Oosterbaan Gym in Rotterdam-Zuid combines kickboxing with boxing, and Pendekar Rotterdam is known for its Muay Thai program alongside kickboxing.

Recreational or competition-focused. Ask each gym about the difference between a bag class, a technical class, and sparring training, and whether there are separate groups for beginners, youth, and competitors. That way, you can find a class that suits your level and your goals.

More than one discipline. Want to combine kickboxing with other martial arts? Alongside kickboxing, Pendekar Rotterdam also offers Muay Thai and Western boxing, and at Ruthless Fight Company you can combine kickboxing with MMA, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Choose a club

Start with your goal. Do you want to learn kickboxing technique, train for recreation, or eventually compete? Ask the gym which classes are designed for beginners, when sparring takes place, and whether you can train without sparring.

Choose a convenient location. Regular training is easier when the gym fits into your daily routine. So compare not only the atmosphere, but also the location and current class schedule. A gym in Rotterdam-Zuid can have a very different atmosphere from one in the city center, even if they both offer kickboxing.

Try the training for yourself. Ask if you can take a trial class. Pay attention to the trainer’s explanations, how members interact, the supervision during contact training, and the condition of the equipment. Choose an environment where you can learn safely and enjoy coming back.

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Athletes with a connection to this city

Frank "The Animal" Lobman. Frank Lobman (1953-2021) was born in Paramaribo, but fought out of Rotterdam and was a five-time European kickboxing champion, with a 90% knockout rate. He defeated, among others, Bas Rutten and Ken Shamrock. In his final fight, he faced Jan Oosterbaan again after twenty years, in Ahoy. He lost that fight.

Jan Oosterbaan. Jan Oosterbaan was born in Rotterdam in 1959. He became Dutch and European kickboxing champion and later, at an older age, also became world champion. His life, including his criminal past, is described in the biography Jantje O. by Koen Scharrenberg (2018).

Semmy Schilt. Semmy Schilt was born in Rotterdam in 1973. He won four K-1 world titles (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009) and the Glory Heavyweight Grand Slam in 2012. He was born in Rotterdam, but did not train at a Rotterdam club for most of his career.

Zakaria Zouggary. Zakaria Zouggary was born in Rotterdam in 1995. In April 2023, he was ranked first on Glory's featherweight rankings.

Amira Tahri. Amira Tahri is a young talent. She was born in Rotterdam in 2009 and had already won her fifth world title at the age of twelve, in Abu Dhabi.

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Trainers with a connection to this city

Jan Oosterbaan. Jan Oosterbaan is one of Rotterdam’s best-known names. His kickboxing career began in 1978 with Martin Borneman (Maeng-Ho), and he became Dutch light heavyweight champion in record time. Later, he founded Oosterbaan Gym on Laagjesweg in Rotterdam South, a family business specializing in kickboxing and boxing. Jan has since handed over the gym to his son, ensuring the next generation of Oosterbaans continues his legacy.

The Portier Brothers. Roy, Edison, and Jeffrey Portier founded Pendekar Rotterdam in 1985. All three are Muay Thai masters with more than forty years of martial arts experience. According to the club, many A-class champions with national and international titles have come out of it.

Early mentors. Martin Borneman (Maeng-Ho) was an important early Rotterdam trainer because he coached Jan Oosterbaan. Hedwig Lobman, Frank Lobman’s brother, taught Kyokushin karate in Crooswijk, where Frank often trained.