BJJ in Dallas

Dallas is one of the most lineage-diverse BJJ markets in the South, and its depth becomes clear once you look past the city limits to the wider DFW network it sits at the center of. Within Dallas proper the anchor academies cover an unusually broad range of trees: Alex Martins Jiu Jitsu Academy (West Dallas/Commerce St) is led by 5th-degree black belt Alex Martins under Junior Cardoso — Martins was the 2016, 2017, and 2018 IBJJF World #1 Ranked Master 2 competitor, with Carlos Gracie Jr. personally presenting his IBJJF award. Marcelo Garcia Jiu-Jitsu of Dallas (East Mockingbird Lane) runs under Rob Ables, a black belt in the Marcelo Garcia lineage, with a stated flat monthly rate and no-contract policy; women's-only classes and a Sunday open mat round out the schedule. Carlos Machado Jiu Jitsu Lake Highlands is headed by 6th-degree black belt Marcio Santos under Carlos Machado and serves the northeastern residential corridor. Perennial Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Checkmat) is led by Gilson Nunes — a 3rd-degree black belt who earned his promotion in 2010 at age 20 and has since promoted 10 of his own students to black belt; Nunes won the 2020 IBJJF World Championship. Gracie ONE Jiu Jitsu Academy (far north Dallas, opened 2025) brings Kyvia Gracie — a granddaughter of Carlos Gracie Sr. — as CEO alongside head professor Clint Bounds; the academy offers a daily open mat and memberships that include a kimono, rash guard, and a private lesson on sign-up. The Grappling Institute (Oak Cliff) fields two co-founder black belts: Steffen Banta under João Gabriel Rocha and Loronz Marion, with a free trial class available online. Octagon MMA Dallas runs Diogo Moreno as BJJ head, Neil Melanson on no-gi/grappling, and Ryan Benoit on striking — a full MMA facility with a seven-day free trial. Quintana MMA & Fitness publishes transparent pricing: $200/mo on an annual commitment, $250 month-to-month, $35 drop-in. Black Wolf Jiu Jitsu (Old East Dallas) also posts pricing publicly: $150/mo adult unlimited, with a 21-day money-back guarantee. Fortis MMA (adults-only competition gym) caps membership at 200 and charges $170/mo for the inaugural cohort. 144 Academy is a veteran-owned no-gi submission grappling school founded in 2020 with free kids no-gi classes. 10th Planet Dallas carries the Eddie Bravo flag for no-gi. Abdias BJJ, Boon Martial Arts (4 black belts), DFW Combat Co (founded 1999), and a handful of newer independents fill out the city's breadth.

The overall picture is a city where the major international affiliates — Gracie, Machado, Marcelo Garcia, Checkmat, 10th Planet — are all directly represented within city limits, and several of the independent instructors carry competition credentials that would anchor a gym in any market. Drop-in culture is active; most academies list a free trial class. Pricing across the city clusters between $140 and $200 per month for adult unlimited, with a handful of gyms staying below $150 and a few MMA-hybrid facilities at the top of the range.