Top 3 MMA gyms in San Diego California!
San Diego is one city where the UFC and other MMA promotions love to host their shows. That’s just speaking to the level of MMA activity happening in the area. From fitness gyms to competitive gyms, here are the top 3 MMA gyms you should check out if you’re around San Diego.
1. The Arena
The Arena MMA gym pictured with big open floor mats for sparring.
Location: 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
At The Arena, they’ve got one of the most expensive facilities in the area. It is no doubt among the largest combat sports training centers in North America and perhaps, the oldest continuously operated martial arts school. Since being founded in 1949 by US Marine Corps veteran Aloysius C. Holtmann, it has gone on to become highly renowned. They’ve got classes from morning to evening so it is easier to adjust your schedule to the fitting time.
If what you’re looking for is an MMA gym with a wide range of martial arts classes, then try out The Arena. They’ve got classes on boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and kickboxing, for a well-rounded MMA game. But it doesn’t stop there, The Arena offers classes in Judo, Greco-Roman wrestling, and Filipino martial arts.
Whether you’re there for fitness or competition, the gym lays focus on providing accelerated fight camps and training to help you achieve your goals. One advantage of this gym is its stacked roster of fighters including Cris Cyborg, Xande Ribeiro, Diego Sanchez, Joe Duarte, Fabricio Morango, Rick Slaton, and Pat Sleight among others.
So if you need to be trained as a professional, The Arena is a great option. You’re guaranteed to be well trained under expert instructors like the 3x IBJJF world champion Master Baret Yoshida, alongside UFC vets Chris Leben and Basheer Abdullah.
Baret Yoshida is an American mixed martial artist. He competed in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. He is also a coach at The Arena MMA gym in San Diego California.
For jiu-jitsu, Yoshida got you covered, being a legend in the world of grappling. If you are looking for boxing instruction, you have the head boxing coach Basheer Abdullah to help you out, an expert boxing trainer, and a 20-year U.S Army veteran.
2. Victory MMA & Fitness
Rolling Jiu Jitsu class at Victory MMA & Fitness taught by their top tier coaches.
Location: 3666 Midway Dr, San Diego, CA 92110
Victory MMA has been a truly reliable source of mixed martial arts training since it first opened its doors in 2007. Throughout each week, it has a whopping 140 classes, offering courses in Boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, etc. And it doesn’t just offer these courses, it uses the most experienced masters in each category.
The jiu-jitsu classes are taught by Dean Lister, one of the greatest BJJ competitors ever. The kickboxing classes are taught by Rolando Perez and assisted by Jocco Willink. And if you’re training for competition, these coaches will take your game to the next level. It has produced several amateurs and top pro fighters like Jeremy Stephens, Tomasz “Gorilla” Drwal, and Toby Imada.
Dean Richard Lister is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2000 until 2015, he fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, and California-based promotion King of the Cage, where he rose to prominence as a Middleweight Champion.
But this gym isn’t only for competitive MMA, it is also a fitness gym. It has a fun and friendly atmosphere with great customer service. Even better, when not sure, it allows you to try out the gym’s facilities and equipment for free. It uses the training of martial arts to get you a great workout.
But it goes even further by offering a cardio and free weight center alongside circuit, aerobics, and personal training if you would need that personal time to enjoy great workouts or work on your MMA skills. And according to reviewers, its prices are quite reasonable.
3. Gamebred Training Center
Logo pictured for Gamebred Training Center in Chula Vista, California outside of San Diego
Location: 861 Harold Pl STE 205, Chula Vista, CA 91914
It’d be wrong to list the three best gyms in San Diego without mentioning Gamebred Training Center. This gym specifically aims to get the best out of each fighter. If you believe you’ve got skills and you need a place for a dedicated training experience to bring those skills to a fight-ready level, then this could be what you need.
It has great coaches and instructors with lots of experience fighting professionally. They’ve got Herman Torrado for MMA, Nestor Flores for striking training, and Nick Barnes for Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. It also has strength and conditioning sessions.
HERMAN TORRADO IS A BELLATOR FIGHTER, STRIKEFORCE VETERAN, AND CURRENT PROFESSIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE COMPETITOR, HERMAN HAS TRAINED WITH THE BEST IN THE WORLD. HERMAN'S OVERALL PROFESSIONAL RECORD IS 15-3-1. ALSO HERMAN HAS 17 YEARS OF MMA AND JIU-JITSU EXPERIENCE AND IS CURRENTLY AN ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL MMA FIGHTER AND BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU COMPETITOR.
This gym is popular for being welcoming and having high-level trainers. They would care about your progress.
Gamebred Training Center doesn’t emphasize on one martial art over the other. Rather, it employs a pretty diverse approach with classes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, Muay Thai, and even yoga.
But fitness or competition are not the only things it has to offer. It has classes for kids and youths. Here, tough or unnecessary traditional methods are not employed. They try to teach the fundamentals of fighting in a way students can relate to. As you or your kids prepare for your first class, don’t forget to bring along your workout attire, gloves, mouth guard, and hand wraps. And as regards the quality of the facility, it is spotless.
Those are our picks for the top 3 MMA gyms in San Diego. Now, you can pick whichever one you feel accompanies your needs better.
