Ny dokumentar-podcast kaster lys over hemmeligt dansk fightclub-miljø

What drives men to step into a cage where the fights occur with bare fists and completely without rules? That question is posed by the new documentary podcast 'Undergrunden: Den danske fightclub' from Podimo, which provides listeners with a rare insight into a hidden community in Denmark.

In abandoned buildings around the country, a group of men gather for brutal confrontations. The focal point is a cage where bodies collide in raw fistfights without referees, without safety equipment, and without fixed rules. Here, body and life are put at risk in the pursuit of meaning, belonging, and recognition that many of the participants do not experience elsewhere in society.

Three years of research behind closed doors

Journalists Kristian Toft and Christian Anker have closely followed the environment for three years and gained access to a community that is otherwise completely closed to the public. They have been present at fights, spoken with both organizers and fighters, and documented how the "undergrund" has grown in strength and membership. The result is a podcast series that not only portrays the extreme but also asks the question: Why do some men seek out this particular community? “The podcast is a window into a group of men who feel excluded from established society. It contributes to our understanding of where masculinity and communities related to masculinity stand today,” says journalist Kristian Toft.

More than violence

Although violence is the visible framework, the podcast is about much more. The series sheds light on men who feel marginalized and pushed to the edge of society's norms. Some fight to prove their strength, others to honor family or find an identity they can resonate with. The podcast nuances the image of the environment and opens a debate about masculinity, community, and despair - topics often overlooked in public discourse, which more often focuses on women's psychological challenges. “Our goal is not to shock, but to understand. When we get close to the men, we don't see monsters - we see people searching for meaning, connection, and recognition,” says journalist Christian Anker.

With a reportage style rarely heard in the podcast medium, the series opens the doors to an environment where you feel the atmosphere, hear the voices, and get close to the people living a very different and boundary-pushing life. 

'Undergrunden: Den danske fightclub' consists of six episodes and premieres on September 22, 2025 - only on Podimo. The podcast is created with support from the Public Service Fund. Find the podcast here.