10 of the BEST UK BJJ Gyms you should be visiting in 2023

As part of what I do with the Warrior Collective I get to visit an extraordinary amount of the best UK BJJ gyms and clubs on a regular basis. This allows me a great insight into which places would make ideal places to visit for off the cuff training, different partners to roll with or for an alternative viewpoint with regards to coaching/teaching methods.

• Roger Gracie Academy
• Stealth BJJ
• Gracie Barra Birmingham
• The Griphouse
• London Grapple
• Carlson Gracie London
• Gracie Barra Nottingham
• 10th Planet London
• Chris Rees Academy
• Fightzone London

The rise in popularity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu across the world in the past few decades really is something to behold. From its humble beginnings being practised solely in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro through to being one of the most widely practised Martial Art disciplines across the globe today.

Hand in hand with the growing popularity of BJJ has been the introduction and explosion of MMA. The birth of this combat sport allowed the early practitioners of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu a huge platform from which to showcase the effectiveness of their Martial Art.

 

 

At one time, finding a legitimate BJJ blue belt in the UK was a hugely difficult thing to achieve. Nowadays there are hundreds of BJJ black belts coaching and running gyms across the length and breadth of Great Britain and Ireland.

 

UK BJJ Gyms

 

What then makes an awesome gym to join/visit for someone who is wanting to or already training in BJJ? I had to have a think about this as I am a huge fan of all the BJJ gyms / coaches that I visit so could well just have ended up listing each one I have ever been to!!!

I have made this list though by focusing on the following; quality of facility, experience of instruction, amount of training available to a member or visiting athlete, level of partners available and history of success within BJJ competition. After much deliberation, here are the 10 that I recommend to those wanting an extraordinary gym to visit in 2023;

 

Roger Gracie Academy

 

The name Roger Gracie will need no introduction to anyone even remotely familiar with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Not only is Roger a part of the Gracie lineage (and thus therefore part of the family who takes a lot of credit for the growing of BJJ internationally), from a competitive point of view, he is also well regarded as one of the true GOAT's of the sport.

 

 

As you might expect then from a gym bearing his name (and where you are able to find him coaching regularly on the mats), the Roger Gracie Academy is a perfect example of what a fantastic BJJ school should look and operate like.

From the moment you walk through the front doors of this Hammersmith based gym, you are treated to an immaculate training environment. Beautifully decorated reception and viewing areas, immaculate changing rooms and showers, large matted spaces and a huge timetable spanning 7 days to boot.

Roger is one of the many phenomenal BJJ coaches featured on the truly brilliant full length instructional volume “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training with Legends - REORG Charity Volume 1”, which is available for you to purchase today from the Warrior Marketplace.  100% of all money from sales of this 4 hour + masterclass are donated to REORG to help support them with their amazing charity work.

 

 

I have had the huge pleasure of visiting Roger's gym a number of times over the years. It has changed locations during that time but has only grown to bigger and better things as a result. I filmed the video below with him one of the occasions we were last together!

Check out the video below to watch a tutorial from Roger on the Mauricio Gomes BJJ YouTube channel.

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.rogergracie.com to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

Stealth BJJ

 

Going from the South to the North here as we switch from the bright lights of London to the football mad Manchester. Stealth BJJ has a special place in my heart as it is the gym that I most often train at out of all these mentioned in this list. Head coach and 4th Degree Black Belt Steve Campbell is a world renowned instructor and the man that personally gave me my blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu a number of years ago.

 

 

Stealth BJJ is on the outskirts of Manchester and borders the neighbouring town of Oldham. The facility has seen a lot of work done to it over the years and now boasts huge matted spaces (which sees regular open mats featuring large numbers of BJJ practitioners from all across the North West), great changing rooms and viewing areas.

As a Progress Jiu Jitsu sponsored gym, Stealth BJJ sees a wide range of amazing athletes visiting on a regular basis. On top of that, their home bred BJJ practitioners are of an extremely high level. A multitude of black belts and senior grades inhabit most of the evening and weekend training classes. Steve has done a fantastic job in building this gym from the ground up. The timetable is extensive with classes in both Gi and No Gi available day and evening 6 days a week (with large open mats every Sunday).

Check out the video below to watch one of the many tutorial videos I have personally filmed with Steve over the years!

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.stealthbjj.com to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

Gracie Barra Birmingham

 

Although I have only had the pleasure of visiting Gracie Barra Birmingham once so far, that was more than enough to cement it's much deserved place on this list! Head coach Braulio Estima is a legend of the BJJ scene, both within the UK and globally. The multiple times world champion is known for his brilliance in both Gi and No Gi competition, and has remained an active part of associations such as IBJJF and ADCC for many years.

 

 

Located upstairs in a nice looking building in East Birmingham, this Gracie Barra gym is really great on the eyes once you get inside. A huge matted area with lots of glass windows gives you not only an excellent view of the city but also ensures the training space is both bright and vibrant.

Braulio is another of the many phenomenal BJJ coaches featured on the truly brilliant full length instructional volume “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training with Legends - REORG Charity Volume 1”, which is available for you to purchase today from the Warrior Marketplace.  100% of all money from sales of this 4 hour + masterclass are donated to REORG to help support them with their amazing charity work.

 

 

I absolutely love the wooden reception and viewing areas of this gym. Although arguably not as big as other facilities on this list, what it lacks for in size, it makes up for in punch. Braulio is a truly phenomenal coach and one of the trail blazers within the UK BJJ community. As you might expect then, his coaching team and classes are second-to-none. Expect amazing training across any of the 7 days they have classes scheduled.

Check out the video below to watch one of the tutorial videos I made with Braulio when I last visited him!

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.gbbirmingham.com to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

The Griphouse

 

Ah, the Griphouse! This is not the first of my gym lists, this brilliant Glasgow based gym has found itself on. There are many reasons why but they all boil down to the fact that they are high level across a multitude of combat sports and Martial Arts disciplines. Head coach Guy Ramsey is definitely one of my favourite people in life and he, alongside the equally outstanding Paul McVeigh, Garry Christie, Dean Reilly and Keith McLachlan, has built up exceptional talent in every area.

 

 

The Griphouse is a huge gym. Located on the top floor of an old building in West Glasgow, it is no doubt a little less modern than a number of the other gyms on this list. However, it's old school charm is not without its appeal. Especially as this gym has multiple huge matted spaces and training areas. Within them they have an extensive timetable of classes, including BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai.

The Grip, as it is affectionately known, is one of the power houses on the Scottish (and UK) competitive scene. Athletes from here are well known for their high level grappling, wrestling and striking. Multiple black belts call this home, as well as a large number of senior BJJ grades, MMA athletes and Muay Thai fighters.

Check out the video below to watch a video I filmed with one their brilliant BJJ black belts (Garry Christie) on my last trip up there!

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.thegriphouse.co.uk to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

London Grapple

 

London Grapple is easily the youngest gym on this list. This beautiful looking South London based gym was only opened by head coach, top UK BJJ black belt and No Gi athlete Ross Nicholls in 2021. Don't let its age fool you though. Ross, being a veteran of the UK scene, knew exactly what he wanted to create when he started this gym.

 

 

Being in London, and with property prices being what they are they are, this gym is not as big as others on this list. But, what it lacks in size, it makes up for in quality. The facility genuinely is immaculate and is one of the nicest looking gyms you will come across in the UK. Ross has done an amazing job using every last bit of space he has. The matted areas are all white, well laid out and brightly lit by a combination of a modern lighting array and extra large windows.

Ross is another of the many phenomenal BJJ coaches featured on the truly brilliant full length instructional volume “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training with Legends - REORG Charity Volume 1”, which is available for you to purchase today from the Warrior Marketplace.  100% of all money from sales of this 4 hour + masterclass are donated to REORG to help support them with their amazing charity work.

 

 

Having recently taken on SBG black belt Matt Inman as the gym's MMA coach and fellow BJJ black belt, you can expect to see a huge depth of training on show in any of the classes you take here. As a Tatami Fightwear sponsored gym, Ross plays host to a multitude of his friends and contemporaries from across the world on a regular basis. This means his mats are often stacked with a crazy amount of talent (both home grown and visiting).

Check out the video below to watch a tutorial I filmed with Ross when I visited him at London Grapple not long after he first opened.

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.londongrapple.co.uk to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

Carlson Gracie London

 

Carlson Gracie London is one of the real OG's on this list. Although it has gone through a number of name/venue changes over the past 2 decades, this gym has been one of the stalwarts of the UK BJJ scene in one shape or another for many years now.

 

 

Wilson Junior as the founder and head coach, is one of the most well known and influential figures in UK BJJ today. Alongside his most experienced black belts, Richard Martin and Simon Hayes, he has a hugely brilliant team of instructors ever present on the mats in every training session.

Frederic is another of the many phenomenal BJJ coaches featured on the truly brilliant full length instructional volume “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training with Legends - REORG Charity Volume 1”, which is available for you to purchase today from the Warrior Marketplace.  100% of all money from sales of this 4 hour + masterclass are donated to REORG to help support them with their amazing charity work.

 

 

Multiple matted areas, an extensive timetable and a talent pool that is bursting at the seams will ensure that you get a lot out of any visit you are fortunate to make there.

Check out the video below to watch a video I filmed with Carlson Gracie standout and Polaris Champion Frederic Vosgrone from when I last had the pleasure to visit.

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.bjjlondon.com to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

Gracie Barra Nottingham

 

The second Gracie Barra gym on this list is also another ran by a member of the Estima family. Victor Estima is the head coach of this Nottingham based gym and a name well known across the world as a result of his high level Jiu Jitsu. As you would expect from such an amazing dynasty, this gym is immaculately laid out. Great reception and viewing areas, fantastic changing facilities and a number of brilliant matted spaces for training.

 

 

Victor is an incredible coach and someone I have had the pleasure of spending time with over the past few years on a number of occasions. His passion for helping grow BJJ in the UK has seen him create a multitude of great coaches and athletes at his gym. A number of whom have now gone on to open up gyms of their own (under the Gracie Barra name) across the world.

Victor is another of the many phenomenal BJJ coaches featured on the truly brilliant full length instructional volume “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training with Legends - REORG Charity Volume 1”, which is available for you to purchase today from the Warrior Marketplace.  100% of all money from sales of this 4 hour + masterclass are donated to REORG to help support them with their amazing charity work.

 

 

Expect phenomenal training if you are fortunate enough to visit Victor at his gym. No matter which of his coaches you find yourself on the mat with, I know you are going to enjoy the experience immensely. There are always a large number of high level practitioners on the mats in each of the evenings main training sessions.

Check out the video below to watch a video I filmed with Victor when I last visited him in Nottingham.

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.gbnottingham.com to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

10th Planet London

 

10th Planet, as most of you should know, is the brain child of grappling genius Eddie Bravo. The first school to focus on Jiu Jitsu without the Gi, Eddie's system has garnered fans the world over as a result of its repeated competitive successes. It's main UK gym, 10th Planet London is ran by head coach and top BJJ black belt Jamie Scott.

 

 

Also known by it's other moniker, Diesel Gym, 10th Planet London is a huge facility based right next to the river Thames in South East London. Its huge car park is an immense bonus being a London based gym and especially for all those that visit. As a gym that coaches BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai, it has multiple matted areas and training spaces. The main area has an extensive timetable of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu training 7 days a week.

Jamie has done an amazing job developing this gym to where it is today. As one of the first UK practitioners to fully immerse himself in the Eddie's system, he has since gone onto helping countless others become high level grapplers within their own right. Training sessions are always filled with an immense amount of talent. You are not going to be short of phenomenal partners to drill or roll with when you visit here.

Check out the video below to watch a tutorial I filmed with Jamie when I last visited him in London.

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.dieselgym.co.uk to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

Chris Rees Academy

 

I have to admit, Chris Rees Academy is actually the only gym on this list that I have not personally been to yet (although I do hope to rectify that before long)! How does it earn its place then I hear you ask? Well, quite easily as it happens. Not only is Chris Rees an immensely talented BJJ black belt himself, he has also created a truly brilliant facility for everyone else within South Wales with this amazing gym.

 

 

Another beautifully put together gym, not only does this location have a huge matted area, it also comes with a sauna, coffee shop and strength and conditioning area to boot. Like every gym on this list though, its main strengths lie within its coaches and student body.

As the longest established Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Wales (and with Chris himself being the first Welsh BJJ black belt), you will find an amazing selection of talented bodies on the mats in any of the training sessions they have on their timetable. Notable standouts include the likes of Polaris world champion Ashley Williams.

Check out the video below to watch what goes on at their gym on the Grapple Culture YouTube channel.

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.cra.wales to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

Fightzone London

 

It has been too long since I last visited the truly brilliant Fightzone London. This East end gym has almost 1000 sq metres of mat space set out over its two floors. And, boy do they make use of them! Their cram packed timetable has over 140 classes a week scheduled and includes sessions in BJJ, No Gi, Muay Thai, Boxing, MMA, Wrestling and much more.

 

 

Head coach Marco Canha is a phenomenal instructor and leads a team that includes the likes of Jose Varela, Daniel Terry and even Warrior Collective’s own Yoga specialist Cameron James. To say you are spoilt for choice at this gym would be an understatement! However, it is the BJJ why this gym is obviously on this list.

Young BJJ standouts that have been developed there over the past few years include the likes of Nia Blackman and Nahdeem Rahman. Alongside their truly brilliant juniors, the adults classes themselves contain crazy amounts of talented individuals across all their disciplines so you are never going to be in short supply there.

Check out the video below below to watch what goes on at their gym on the Bebop Films YouTube channel.

 

 

 

Don't take my word for it though! Check their website out today at www.fightzonelondon.co.uk to see for yourself why I have included this in my 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms you should visit in 2023 list and for further information on all their training, private lessons and how to contact them to arrange a visit!

 

 

It was actually pretty hard not to make this list containing my thoughts on 10 of the best UK BJJ Gyms to visit bigger as there were a good few others that could have easily been on it! What do you think of these gyms? Are there any others that you think I should have included???

 

 

 

 

For more information on REORG and how best to support their work, you can find out more at their website here www.reorgcharity.com

 

 

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