Samenvatting

Kickboxing has undergone a remarkable transformation in the Netherlands in recent decades. The maligned full-contact combat sport with links to the criminal underworld changed into a mainstream activity serving a broad market. This article outlines the background against which this change took place and mentions three levels: national and international society (macro), the gym and the criminal scene (meso), and the fighter and the consumer (micro). In addition to being a martial art, kickboxing is looked upon as a commodity that is put on the market and consumed.