Sem Braan

Sem "Semtex" Braan (born October 6, 1979) is a Dutch Muay Thai super middleweight kickboxer fighting out of Amsterdam, Netherlands for Mejiro Gym. He is the 2008 It's Showtime Reality Show winner currently competing in the It's Showtime 77MAX division.

Sem Braan made his debut with the It's Showtime organization in 2005 losing a super fight via decision to Ondřej Hutník. He was invited to take part in the inaugural It's Showtime Trophy (75 kg/165.35 lbs weight class) in a preliminary tournament for the final to be held the following year. He made the final in Tilburg only to lose to Emil Zoraj. Braan was given a second chance to qualify at the It's Showtime event in Prague at the end of the year, again reaching the final only to lose again – this time to Ondřej Hutník, the man who had beaten him on his debut earlier that year.

The following year Braan made his K-1 debut at the K-1 MAX Canarias 2006, dropping down in weight to take part in an eight-man tournament (70 kg/154 lbs weight class). Never known for his ability for finishing opponents, Braan nevertheless blitzed through all opposition on the night, stopping all three opponents on his way to the title. He added to his title collection in the spring of 2007, winning the W.A.K.O. European title in Porto against a Portuguese opponent he had defeated a couple of months previously.

Braan was invited to the second It's Showtime Trophy final in 2008, despite having lost in a qualifying tournament the previous year. He made the semi finals of the tournament, beating Jiri Zak before losing to eventual winner Dmitry Shakuta by decision. Later that year he won the It's Showtime Reality Show by beating Cosmo Alexandre in the final held at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 in Amsterdam and earned himself a shot against the It's Showtime Trophy champion Dmitry Shakuta for the inaugural It's Showtime 77MAX world title later that year. In the title fight in Alkmaar Braan lost on points despite a late rally in the last two rounds, in which both fighters received eight counts. Braan would get another shot at the title, several years later, again facing Shakuta for the belt. The defending champion once more came out on top in the encounter, winning his third match in the trilogy between the pair via a comfortable point's decision. In 2011 Sem won his first world title - winning the W.A.K.O. Pro world belt in Milan, Italy by defeating Mohamed Belkacem by unanimous decision after five rounds in a match where both fighters received 8 counts - Sem in the fourth and Belkacem in the fifth.

In a battle between two of the world's top 10 light heavyweights, Braan lost to Constantin Țuțu via decision at the KOK World Grand Prix 2012 in Chisnau, Moldova on September 29, 2012. He lost to Rickard Nordstrand via second round KO at Fight Night 08 in Stockholm, Sweden on August 17, 2013.

Braan won, by defeating Errol Koning at Fight Fans 6" in Amsterdam, Holland on October 5, 2013. On February 8, 2014, Braan won by beating Marino Schouten for the second time at Fight Fans 8 in Amsterdam.

On December 1, 2014 Sem Braan opened his own gym, Mejiro Gym Wormer. By starting this Mejiro Gym division Braan shares his knowledge and experience with other fighters and shows kickboxing is for everyone both recreational and competition level.

• 2016 WFL -76 kg Tournament Champion
• 2011 W.A.K.O. Pro K-1 Rules world champion -85 kg
• 2008 It's Showtime Reality Show winner -75 kg
• 2007 W.A.K.O. Pro K-1 Rules European champion -80 kg
• 2006 K-1 MAX Canarias champion -70 kg
• 2005 It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Prague Pool B runner up -75 kg
• 2005 It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Tilburg Pool B runner up -75 kg