Editing Kickboxing (section)

=== Europe ===
[[Image:MUNCHEN_(2).JPG|thumb| A kickboxing match in [[München]].]]
{{Further|World Association of Kickboxing Organizations}}
In [[West Germany]], American-styled kickboxing was promulgated from its inception in the 1970s by [[Georg F Brueckner|Georg F. Bruckner]], who in 1976 was the co-founder of the [[World Association of Kickboxing Organizations]]. The term "kickboxing" as used in [[German-speaking Europe]] is therefore mostly synonymous with American kickboxing. The low-kick and knee techniques allowed in Japanese kickboxing, by contrast, were associated with Muay Thai, and Japanese kickboxing went mostly unnoticed in German-speaking Europe before the launch of K-1 in 1993.

By contrast, in the [[Netherlands]] kickboxing was introduced in its Japanese form, by [[Jan Plas]] and [[Thom Harinck]] who founded NKBB (The Dutch Kickboxing Association) in 1976.
Harinck also founded the MTBN (Dutch Muay Thai Association) in 1983, and the WMTA (World Muay Thai Association) and the EMTA (European Muay Thai Association) in 1984.
The most prominent kickboxing gyms in the Netherlands, [[Mejiro Gym]], [[Chakuriki Gym]] and [[Golden Glory]], were all derived from or were significantly influenced by Japanese kickboxing and kyokushin karate.

Dutch athletes have been very successful in the K-1 competitions.
Out of the 19 [[K-1 World Grand Prix]] championship titles issued from 1993 to 2012, 15 went to Dutch participants ([[Peter Aerts]], [[Ernesto Hoost]], [[Remy Bonjasky]], [[Semmy Schilt]] and [[Alistair Overeem]]). The remaining four titles were won by [[Branko Cikatić]] of Croatia in 1993, [[Andy Hug]] of Switzerland in 1996, [[Mark Hunt]] of New Zealand in 2001 and [[Mirko Filipović]] of Croatia in 2012.

A new era in Kickboxing was established in 2018 with the launch of the World Kickboxing Organisation (WKO). With a database of 10's of 1000's of amateur and professional athletes. The World Grand Prix is creating the next generations of world class athletes. With over 90 countries in representation throughout WKO the World President Jon Green continues to strive for the credibility and legitimacy of the sport.