In a compelling new episode of the Judo Pod, the 2005 world champion and Olympic medallist explains how he channelled the adrenaline, pressure and single-moment intensity of judo into a 17-year career in Dutch television.
Van der Geest speaks candidly about a challenge many elite athletes face: losing the “exams” that define daily life in sport. The answer, for him, was to chase that same edge elsewhere, first through live DJ sets, then through confrontational TV formats where there is no second take. Today, he hosts programmes that directly confront injustice, relying on the same calm under pressure he once used on the world stage.
Despite his media success, judo remains central to his identity. He calls the sport “honest”: the mat doesn’t care about your past. He laughs about recently being dragged around by a 21-year-old who couldn’t quite believe this was a former world champion. That grounded reality, and the sense of the “judo family”, keeps him involved as an international commentator for the International Judo Federation and as a father watching his sons find their own way in the sport.
The conversation also explores how judo itself has changed. Van der Geest contrasts the old “mythical” era, where opponents were rumours, with today’s hyper-transparent, global tour. Modern athletes, he notes, gain opportunity but pay a heavy physical price through constant travel and competition.
This interview isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about identity after sport, pressure, reinvention, and why judo still shapes life long after competition ends.
Watch the full interview to hear Dennis break down his legendary 2005 world final against Tamerlan Tmenov, reflect on life as a “365-day samurai”, and explain why the judogi never truly comes off.
All episodes are available on Youtube, Spotify, JudoTv.com and Apple Podcasts.