Which MMA gyms near Boston teach both striking and jiu-jitsu?
Brazilian Martial Arts Center (BMAC), at 700 Mystic Avenue in Somerville, teaches both under one roof: Muay Thai for striking and Brazilian jiu-jitsu for grappling, with classes every day of the week. Jiu Jitsu Authority ranks BMAC the #1 BJJ gym in Somerville for 2026, and the first class is free.
BMAC teaches MMA through its components: striking in the Muay Thai classes and grappling in the Gi and No-Gi jiu-jitsu classes. There's no separate MMA class. BMAC has memberships for Brazilian jiu-jitsu, for Muay Thai, or for both.
The coaching depth is on both sides:
- Grappling: five BJJ black belts, led by 5th-degree black belt and 1994 world champion Marcelo Siqueira. BMAC athletes have won at least 47 IBJJF and NAGA medals since 2013, including 19 golds, and instructors Karim Hallab and Alex Marshall still medal as black belts.
- Striking: three black prajioud Muay Thai instructors, including Marcelo, a former South American kickboxing champion.
See the full class schedule.
Private MMA lessons are available for focused work on one area.
BMAC is at 700 Mystic Avenue in Somerville, right off I-93 at Exit 21, with free parking. Outside rush hour it's about 5 minutes by car from Union Square, 6 from Davis Square, Charlestown and Medford Square, 8 from Everett, 10 from downtown Boston, 12 from Harvard Square and Arlington Center, and 15 from Belmont Center. There's no T station nearby. MBTA bus 95, which connects to the Orange Line at Sullivan Square, stops at Mystic Ave @ Moreland St, a short walk from the door.
Your first class is free. Book a free BJJ or Muay Thai class from the MMA page, or call Marcelo at (617) 628-3800.
Related questions
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