Pros: Knowledgeable instructors; very friendly atmosphere; free week trial Cons: Wish they had earlier classes (6am) to really eliminate training excuses for myself In October of 2016 I finally pulled the trigger on signing up for BJJ. I'd been doing a lot of research about nearby schools and this one was ultimately the best bang for my buck and was nearest to my home. I had some judo training when I was 12 but nothing serious or BJJ related; In fact I had been pushing the notion of finally practicing BJJ/MMA for 14 years because of college, family, etc. Personally I was comfortable with the idea wrestling with someone immediately but wasn't really expecting to jump into anything serious. Usually a lot of martial arts schools have an introductory period and I figured I'd have to use more than the free week to really find out how I felt about it which kinda stinks since you can't gauge if you will really enjoy the activity later. That did not happen here. The class was about 12 people deep on my first day and the Sensei spent a few minutes explaining side control and later showed me how to start drilling what the others were doing. It was fascinating to see how easily you can isolate and dismantle a body part! I was asked if I felt comfortable sparring and I agreed. There was no voodoo in this stuff either I could easily see how you can end up in the position in a fight and how to get to the submission. By the end of the night I felt confident enough to start "rolling" or sparring with the other members who were very polite and not overtly-aggressive. My larger opponents didn't resort to just placing their bodyweight on me and everyone kept the sparring friendly and applied only enough pressure to prove you'd gotten submitted. As the week progressed I expected to find holes in the instructor's logic or perhaps a messy/unsafe approach but what I was happily mistaken. Each day I was provided a clean- Gi (Uniform) and was allowed to participate in class with little hand holding (I got my attention called for grabbing a finger which is a no-no for obvious safety reasons). During a few of their open mats they've had a few high profile MMA/BJJ practitioners come in and perform seminars (I really wish I knew how much a big deal this was before I blew it off) In short it was love at first roll. If you're looking for MMA or BJJ DarkWolf MMA to get healthier or defend yourself this is my highest recommendation. I'll be training there for as long as I can and look forward to my own BJJ journey. If anyone has any questions send me a message or leave a comment to my review and I'll get back to you. (via Facebook) read more

Dave and Melissa are husband and wife who run this gym with their son Christian. The place is top notch. I've trained at several different academies because I've moved so much over the years and I can say that I've never trained somewhere that has SO MANY classes available every single day of the week. In addition to that, Dave is a black belt, not just in Brazilian jiu jitsu, but also in other martial arts. Melissa and Christian are brown belts and TOP NOTCH. Melissa is one of the pioneers of women's jiu jitsu, competing with men even before women's ranks existed. Also, did I mention she's the IBJJF Worlds champ in her division? Christian is a pro MMA fighter with a 4-0 record. He's a great teacher for all ages and not only does he know BJJ and MMA, but he's also a skilled wrestler. Even their 15 year old daughter helps out, and she can destroy me on the mat :). This isn't just a gym or a place to train; it's a family. You will be welcomed here with open arms to train at your skill level, but with world class instruction at your fingertips. If you're thinking about trying martial arts and you live in central Florida, then definitely try Darkwolf MMA! You will not regret it! Also, I live in FL. I'm not sure why it says I'm from CA! read more

Awesome gym and an awesome family! I started training here about 6-7 months ago. The instruction that you get here is amazing. The instructors break down each move into its different parts, show you different adaptations of the moves, and continue to patiently guide and encourage you as you begin to put the different parts of the move / strings of moves together. Although the instructors posses a plethora of knowledge and are very accomplished martial artists, you will not encounter the inflated egos and Cobra Kai type atmosphere that you might find at other gyms. It as also initially very apparent that this is not one of the many "McDojos" that exist nowadays. As a firefighter, I have somewhat of an odd schedule (24 or 48 hour shifts from 7-7). The fact that Dark Wolf MMA has morning classes on Mondays and Wednesdays enables me to continue to train even with my schedule gets hectic. For others, they offer afternoon / evening women's only training, MMA classes for kids and adults, and BJJ for kids and adults. My four kids train here, and they love it. I highly recommend Dark Wolf MMA to anyone looking for a great place to train with a great bunch of people to train with! read more

I first found out about Darkworlf due to looking for a mma gym for my son to train. I decided to sign my son up for the free weeks trial they were offering(most places I checked out offered at most a free class). He loved it and soon his sister even started training too. They were great with my son, who is not always to train/instruct due to his ODD. I was so impressed, I even deiced to give it a try myself. I dove in head first and did 2 classes my first night. I barely made it through the training but what I learned that night is how helpful and encouraging the staff and the members really were. I knew I found the right place for me and my family and it is the only place I ever want to train. I really feel part of a family at Darkwolf and you can really tell they truly care about you and all of their students. read more

I love Darkwolf. I have been training here for a year and a half! The training space is clean and I am fond of my training partners. The instruction is personal, the Loshen's are a family of learned, skilled teachers who are passionate about their craft. They are always on the mats ready to assist. BJJ has impacted my life in more ways than I ever thought possible. I am stronger, I am more confident, it helps me with anxiety, and I love having skills that could benefit me and my family if we ever need to defend ourselves. Speaking of family, my 9 year old trains here as well! The children are well looked after, and encouraged... it is such positive place for my kiddo as well. I could go on and on... I am so glad I took a chance and tried something new! read more

Darkwolf MMA is the best MMA/Jiu-jitsu gym I have ever ever joined and truly felt apart of something great! I have been to two other gyms prior to finding Darkwolf and was either not happy with the instructors or the atmosphere. At Darkwolf it is such a positive and educational environment with the tools you need at your fingertips and amazing instructors to help you along the way. You are apart of a team who makes you feel like family as everyone involved is fully supportive of one another from beginners to those who are highly advanced. Thank you Darkwolf for all you have taught me and for what I will learn from everyone in the future years to come! read more

I just started training at Darkwolf the beginning of 2018 and I love it. In all honesty I was very nervous/scared going in for the first time, but it did not take very long for me to feel comfortable and happy with my decision I made to walk through that door and try it. So far everyone that I have meet and had the opportunity to train with has been awesome. I have a very busy schedule and I don't get attend as often as I would like, but the time I do spend at Darkwolf is amazing. I plan to get my 12 year old daughter training there soon. Thank you Darkwolf. read more

DarkWolf MMA is a family operated gym that offers classes in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA for children and adults. Instructors Dave, Melissa, and Christian, are extremely knowledgeable and professional while providing an engaging learning atmosphere that makes DarkWolf MMA the place I want to be. I am thankful I found this gym and took that first step. It's the perfect place to learn practical self defense, get fit, and meet awesome people. read more

my wife and are current students and we are very happy with this school . ​the teachers are very skilled and knowledgeable in brazilian jiu-jitsu along with other martial arts . the school is very clean .if you are a female there are not to many places you can go and find a female brown belt with the skills that melisa has. the hours are right the days are right and the people are right that's why i can confidently give it five stars read more

My son (12) has been training at Darkwolf for 6 months, it has transformed his body, self image and attitude. He is much more confident and has become more aware of his diet and how it effects his performance. The training offers him a good balance with school and gives him an outlet for his aggression; he looks forward to going to Darkwolf everyday. read more

A great overall environment that caters to families, individuals just looking to get in shape AND fighters alike. The gym itself is cleaned daily and the staff are patient, professional and most of all experienced as opposed to the tight T shirt wannabe tough guy types. A no obligation free week and loaner equipment/gis are available to anyone. read more

Great place to train for self-defense and/or competition. The owners are great and bring a wealth of experience and knowledge. They offer classes throughout the day in BJJ, MMA, conditioning, etc. My children have attended for two years and think it's great. read more

My daughter love it there. She has been going for over 6 mo. Her self confidence has improved dramatically. This is definitely a family atmosphere that the students can embrace. Christian does a great job instructing the class. Highly recommend!! read more

My kids love learning martial arts and this family is great! Its a family run place, they have lots of classes available and my kids and I love it. Great atmosphere, great professional coaches and trainers, great prices. Love it ! read more

the entire family loves darkwolfmaa.. great senseis , family oriented!!! they go your pace "they dont rush you to learn"!!! great dojo. proud to say the my super family loves being in the darkwolfmaa family!! read more

Great, knowledgeable instructors who truly care about you the student and are passionate about MMA. Their original, fresh F3 cardio is effective and fun. Would definitely recommend to anyone! read more

I love this gym. Great family friendly atmosphere. Quality instruction great for beginners or pros. The instructor have so much experience. read more

Awesome place. My son goes to summer camp there and loves it. He is learning some much and always wakes up ready to go and get there. A+++.

My daughter does their bjj and mma classes. Awesome environment, great instructors, reasonable prices!