Mejiro Gym is a

kickboxing Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid Martial arts, martial art and Boxing (disambiguation), boxing type based on punch (combat), punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, norma ...

gym A gym, short for gymnasium (: gymnasiums or gymnasia), is an indoor venue for exercise and sports. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasion". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learn ...

headquartered in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

, the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

History

Mejiro Gym was founded in 1978 by

Jan Plas Jan Plas (16 March 19451 September 2010) was a Dutch professional kickboxer, trainer and founder of the Mejiro Gym in Amsterdam. He is considered to be the father of kickboxing in the Netherlands. Career Plas began his career in martial arts in ...

, a Dutch kickboxer who learned kickboxing from

Kenji Kurosaki is a Japanese martial arts instructor, specializing in full-contact karate and kickboxing. He is a 7th ''dan'' black belt in Kyokushin Karate and operates various martial schools. He is most well known as a pioneer of full-contact karate and k ...

, a Japanese martial artist who founded the original Mejiro Gym in

Mejiro, Tokyo is a residential district of Toshima, Tokyo, Toshima, Tokyo, Japan, centered at Mejiro Station of Yamanote Line. The district's name (literally "white eyes") is after ''Mejiro acala, Fudō'', which is one of the ''Goshiki Fudō''. Mejiro is home ...

. Vos Gym founder Johan Vos and FFC founder Lucien Carbin were among the founding members of Mejiro Gym Amsterdam. With its well-known fighters including

Rob Kaman Robert Diem Kaman (5 June 1960 – 30 March 2024) was a Dutch nine-time kickboxing and Muay Thai world champion. He was often called "Mr. Low Kick" because of his feared low kicks which he used to set up his devastating offensive attacks. Biog ...

and

Peter Aerts Peter Aerts (born 25 October 1970) is a Dutch retired kickboxer. Known for his devastating high kicks, which earned him the nickname "The Dutch Lumberjack", he is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all time. B ...

, Mejiro Gym has become one of the most famous and accomplished kickboxing gyms in the world. Mejiro is regarded as one of the "big three Kickboxing Gyms" in Netherlands, alongside Chakuriki and Vos Gym. Later, the

Leeuwarden Leeuwarden (; ; ; ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in Friesland, Netherlands, with a population of 127,073 (2023). It is the provincial capital and seat of the Provin ...

branch in

Friesland Friesland ( ; ; official ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia (), named after the Frisians, is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen (p ...

, Netherlands was also established. In 2020, Mejiro Gym opened a new branch in

Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...

, Indonesia.

Notable fighters

* Ashwin Balrak *

Remy Bonjasky Remy Kenneth Bonjasky (born January 10, 1976) is a Surinamese-Dutch former kickboxer. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix heavyweight champion, winning the title in 2003, 2004, and 2008. He is widely considered one of the greatest kickboxe ...

* Sem Braan * Lucien Carbin * Erhan Deniz *

Cédric Doumbé Cédric Doumbé (born August 30, 1992) is a Cameroonian-born French professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, currently fighting in the Welterweight division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL). In kickboxing, he is a former ...

* Michael Duut *

Rodney Glunder Rodney Glunder (born as ''Rodney Faverus'', March 1, 1975) is a retired Dutch professional kickboxer, mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and boxer, current actor, entrepreneur, bodybuilder and convicted rapist. He has fought for M-1 G ...

Brice Guidon Brice Guidon (born July 16, 1985), also known as ''"Nectar"'', is a French Muay Thai kickboxer. He is the W.P.M.F. European Heavyweight and World Super Heavyweight Muaythai Champion, and the 2011 United Glory World Series runner-up. He has comp ...

Andre Mannaart Andre Mannaart (born November 2, 1960) is a Dutch former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He was four times world champion in kickboxing and Muay Thai, having fought against K-1 legends such as Ernesto Hoost, Branko Cikatić, Maurice Smith an ...

* Fred Royers *

Bob Schrijber Robert Schrijber (born 3 March 1965) is a Dutch former mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He currently runs his own MMA and Muay Thai team in Krommenie, Netherlands called Sports Academy Schreiber. His most famous students at the moment are UFC ...

* Leo de Snoo *

Andy Souwer Andy Souwer (born 9 November 1982) is a Dutch former kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is a two-time K-1 World MAX champion (2005, 2007) and four-time Shootboxing World tournament champion as well as former It's Showtime 70MAX world champio ...

* Joshua O'Malley * Maurice Smith

References

External

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mejiro Gym 1978 establishments in the Netherlands Kickboxing training facilities Kickboxing in the Netherlands Sports venues in Amsterdam 20th-century architecture in the Netherlands