I started BJJ in January, so I'm pretty new to all of this. What made my experience so special from…read morethe beginning was Professor Ulpiano. He always had a smile, always greeted me warmly, and from day one, I genuinely felt like I belonged. The tagline is "jiu-jitsu for everyone," and he truly lived that out. Sadly, he has passed, and I wanted to leave something here as a testament to who he was as a professor. His passion and dedication always showed. He once said, "The best professor is a professor that's happy to be there," and you felt that every single time he taught. If you're thinking about trying something new or stepping outside your comfort zone, I really do recommend this place. Professor Ulpiano made it more than a gym. He made it a community.

This is their new location in River Oaks. The most upscale Jiujitsu school I have been to. I met…read moreProfessor Ulpiano 5 years ago when I moved to Houston and started training at their Westchase location. I am now splitting my time between both schools. Professor Ulpiano is of the utmost professional and an amazing instructor. They offer many classes for those of you with a busy schedule. Come in and ask for him for a free session. He is the best.

I've been wanting to do boxing for the longest time, but due to finances and hesitation, I put it…read moreoff until this year. I first tried out a different gym, but I did not like the atmosphere of the gym. I called Elite MMA and scheduled a free trial and it was a great experience. For anyone who is hesitant about getting into MMA, please sign up for a free trial and come to the classes. Everyone here from the staff to the members are nice and helpful, they will work with you to get you better. At first, I only wanted to do kickboxing, but I've falling in love with BJJ after trying it. The great thing about Elite is they offer many different classes throughout the week so you can fit them in your schedule. Come on by, Elite is welcoming gym, and egos are left at the door. We are all here to help each other. FYI, I've been training here for 4 months.

Honestly it was supposed to be my first visit today.... And to be honest was excited to add to my…read morecurrent routine. The reception lady was super nice and gave good info but the gym itself just sucks to be honest. I scheduled my first class today at 5:30 am. In my head, class should start at 5:30 am. Issue number one was when I booked it I was told I would get a confirmation text about my visit. Nothing! I checked my email. Nothing! So I still show up. She said be there 5-10 mins early I get that at 5:22 am. The whole gym is closed and no one there. I wait a bit because I used to work at a gym and I know sometimes people can be late. Guess what?! A white car pulls up. I'm like cool another student. Nope! Some white man who looked like he just got out of bed and gets out of his car. Does he greet me? Does he say he give me a moment let me get the gym set up? Nope! Just looks pissed off he's up super early and looks miserable and looks like he just rolled out of bed. Honestly I waited another 4-5 mins seeing if he would kind of get out of hiding. Nope just never saw him again. Saw the gym lights on. Didn't even see him unlock the door. Went missing for quite sometime. So I just left. This was supposed to be my first class visit and it completely was not what I was expecting. I'm pretty active already. Today I was going to rest more after slowly getting over something I caught from Labor Day weekend and was excited to try something to as a workout. But this place really is a disappointment.

My son loves this place, good experience with everyone and a real family business…read more They focus on both the martial arts and character-building aspects of discipline. Thank you Scott and thank you Brandi

Brought my boy here for a trial, and it was absolutely Amazing! Unfortunately it wasn't in our…read morebudget but even after trying several other martial arts locations, nothing compared to what this gym is doing. You definitely get what you pay for! Would highly recommend!

My small human joined about a month ago and has been LOVING it!…read more The community is great, location is convenient for inside the loop, and everyone has been super friendly and helpful. I can't personally attest to the workouts, but there are several classes offered throughout the week and they definitely wear out a teenager who has extra energy to spare! Definitely recommend checking it out for anyone curious about MMA gyms.

The first thing that drew me to MMA was my desire to learn self defense. The first thing that drew…read moreme to actually considering pursuing a class was the convenient location of Midtown MMA. The first thing that drew me to actually contacting Midtown MMA was the 30 day free trial. The first thing that drew me to actually showing up was getting a call from Chris about an hour after I submitted my form online. The first thing that drew me to sign up full time was after the first class when I realized that Midtown MMA was more than I could have hoped for! After a few short months, Midtown MMA has helped boost my confidence in my physical and mental ability to defend myself. You build on the physical side during the first part of the class where Chris leads you through a "warm-up" which is more like a mini boot-camp that leaves you with a good burn. The mental and physical side is continually built through the second portion of class as you work on muscle memory routines, perfecting techniques, following drills, and self guided practice. The great thing about Midtown MMA is that your motivation doesn't come from someone yelling at you, it comes from the everyone else giving it there all and encouraging you to test your limits. Everyone is there to learn the proper techniques and advanced students are more than will to give and take constructive criticism when working in teams. There are a good mix of males and females of all different physical capabilities which lead to good match-ups during the drills. No one is there to judge you, I have never had that feeling even when I thought I must look pretty goofy. Chris is an awesome instructor who keeps the class relaxed but professional and directed. He's good about gauging what each student needs to focus on during the drills - technique or power - and making corrections for individual students during the drills. He is interested in the needs of the class and will reserve certain sessions to address student questions. It is easy to have a lot of respect for Chris. This helps make you accountable and give you that extra boost to show up for training on the (rare!) occasion that you may be less motivated to do so. If you decide to sign up and pay, I believe you pick a 6 month or one year program. I think it averages to about $12 a class. I'm doing this with my husband and we were able to work our a 2 for less than 2 kinda deal.

I had an incredible experience at their Memorial Location! Specifically, the open layout and…read morequantity/variety of equipments (heavy bags, pads, etc) created an inclusive and comprehensive training experience. However, the most impressive aspect were the people. Everyone from the desk staff to trainers were always kind and welcoming and the gym itself had a friendly atmosphere that also encouraged challenging yourself! I highly recommend this gym!

This happened a couple years ago, so I can't speak to how things are handled there now. But I had a…read morenegative experience trying to contact the Westchase flagship location about a serious concern connected to my experience at another affiliated location. The concern involved safety, conduct, and how issues involving staff or members were being handled. I made four separate calls to four different people, was unable to get a hold of anyone, left my callback information, and explained generally that I was trying to raise a serious concern that I believed warranted awareness or oversight. I did not receive a callback or meaningful follow-up. I am not reviewing any one person individually. My concern is that I attempted to raise a serious issue through multiple channels connected to the flagship location and was met with silence. With time, what stands out to me most is not only the original situation, but the lack of meaningful follow-up when I tried to raise it through what I understood to be appropriate channels. That kind of non-response leaves things unresolved. It also leaves the person who raised the concern carrying the consequences alone. In a martial arts environment, especially one involving physical training and close contact, trust and safety depend not only on what happens on the mat, but also on whether concerns can be raised and handled responsibly. From my experience at the time, I did not feel there was a reliable process for escalation, accountability, or member support.

I started attending the functional fitness, and then cardio kickboxing, classes around Summer 2023…read moreto help recover from a couple postpartum injuries. Fast forward 6+ months and I honestly think that I'm in the best shape of my life...or at least since high school. I recently turned 40 and because of my workouts at Urban Jungle I have no mobility issues; the creakyness I was starting to get is gone! I can easily play on the floor with my kids and sprint after them. On my 40th birthday I was also able to do 40 pushups, I huge accomplishment for me, and 100% attributable to the urban jungle workouts. This is a great spot and I highly recommend the the functional fitness and cardio kick box classes. They'll work you hard :)

I did a class with We Sweat in Pink and was so impressed. The instructors at Urban Jungle are…read morepatient, kind and understanding. They taught lessons for the mat and real life while empowering all women. Recommend 10/10.

Love Tim's teachings, not only does my young child gets Private Self-Defense (Jeet Kune Do &…read moreWrestling) against bullies, it became parent participation, which is nice, nothing happier than to train with your son with respect, its a nice bond.

My experience with Mousel's Mixed Martial Arts Academy and The Edge Personal Training has been…read morenothing less than life changing and a genuine blessing. I was looking for a convenient location downtown Houston to learn self defense and to get my pre- baby athleticism back. I found so much more than that. I fell in love with everything about this place. The location, the facility, the people, the strength training, the conditioning, Muay Thai, grappling... I go every single day they are open, for multiple classes a day and have been since the first day I stepped foot in here, four years ago. It has become my second home, my fun and my therapy. The location is perfect and incredibly easy to get to. Parking is convenient. The facility is immaculate, the layout and equipment are very well thought out and efficient. There is an immediate sense of comradery amongst everyone. Wether it is your first day or if your a veteran, you feel welcome and comfortable. Everyone is always willing to inspire and help you. The Owner Tim Mousel is a Master of his craft, an exceptional Trainer & Instructor. He is a life Coach to so many. He has changed my life as well as countless others. All of the Trainers here are exceptional!! Tim, Stan, Crystal, Daniel, Roy, Ryan... they are all knowledgeable and highly skilled instructors. They personalize each and every work out and keep you excited about coming to class each and every day. They are all professional, motivating and very fun. Their attention to detail, technique, form, nutrition and safety are top notch. The workouts are challenging, fun and creative and consist of modifications for everyone... you choose your level of intensity, as long as your challenged. I leave The Edge / Mousel's Mixed Martial Arts Academy each day feeling invigorated, so accomplished, confident and ready to take on life with my head up and a smile on my face!! If your ready to commit to a healthier happier life style, I promise you, you will not be disappointed. This is by far, the best thing I have ever done for myself! www.defend.net

I was in town again for a work trip, however this time I wanted to train at school that was close…read moreto my hotel and I found Active Jiu Jitsu. This school looks exactly how it looks, welcoming, friendly, and family oriented. When I walked in Professor Rose welcomed me and introduced me to Professor Dentinho. He led a great class on half guard passing and after I was able to roll with the members. After class, I spoke to a few of the members and they were all friendly and was happy I stopped by. The class was great and I had great training partners during our rolls. I highly recommend this school for locals AND visitors. When I do return in the future, I plan visit Professor and his team at Active Jiu Jitsu! THANK YOU!