11 Best BJJ Gyms in Singapore (2026)
A guide to the best BJJ gyms in Singapore: 11 real academies for gi and no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, from dedicated schools to major MMA gyms.
- Edited by
- Amir Wahab
- Published
- Reading time
- 7 min read
AI image by LocalRankBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu has grown from a niche import into one of Singapore's most active combat-sports scenes, with academies now spread from the Central Business District out to the eastern, northern and western suburbs. This shortlist gathers eleven real, currently operating gyms with a genuine BJJ programme, from schools built entirely around gi and no-gi grappling to larger academies where BJJ is a flagship discipline, each checked against its own website. Lineage, class structure, and whether kids' classes and trials are offered all vary, so treat this as a starting point for comparison rather than a fixed ranking, and confirm current schedules directly with each gym before visiting.
1. Evolve MMA
Evolve MMA is Singapore's largest martial-arts chain, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of its most heavily marketed disciplines, taught under what the gym describes as the official Renzo Gracie curriculum and belt-promotion system. Classes run at four branches — Raffles Place, Orchard Central, KINEX and The Star Vista — with a ladder from white-belt fundamentals through advanced and black-belt sessions, plus a separate no-gi submission-grappling track and a kids' programme for ages four to thirteen. The gym highlights a roster of BJJ world champions among its instructors and offers a complimentary introductory class for newcomers of any level. Its scale and schedule depth suit someone who wants BJJ alongside other disciplines under one roof, rather than a small, single-focus school.
Islandwide (Raffles Place, Orchard Central, Paya Lebar, Buona Vista)
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2. Gracie Barra Singapore
Gracie Barra Singapore is a BJJ-only school in Bugis affiliated with the global Gracie Barra network, led by Professor Bruno Amorim, whom the school describes as a student of coach Vinicius 'Draculino' Magalhaes. Its programme runs from basic and intermediate group classes through all-levels and no-gi sessions, alongside kids' classes from age two and a half and a women's self-defence track directed by a named female instructor. Yoga-for-BJJ sessions round out the weekly schedule. As part of an international brand with a structured, globally consistent belt curriculum, it suits students who want a franchised approach rather than an independent local outfit, and the school offers a trial class for newcomers to test the fit before committing.
3. BJJ Singapore
BJJ Singapore describes itself as the country's first and longest-running Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy, founded in 2006 by Jason Quek, whom the school credits as Singapore's first home-grown BJJ black belt; he still teaches every class himself near Clarke Quay. Unlike most academies on this list, it trains exclusively no-gi, built around submission grappling rather than the traditional kimono, with beginner and all-levels sessions rather than a fixed, tiered curriculum. There are no children's classes here — the focus is squarely on adults. For anyone who wants no-gi-only instruction from a single, long-tenured instructor rather than a large multi-coach academy, it's a distinctive option, and the school offers a single trial session before any commitment.
Clarke Quay
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4. The Gentle Art Academy
The Gentle Art Academy was founded in 2014 by Brendan Foong and is now led on the mats by head coach Arthur Gomes Barbosa, whom the academy says has held a black belt since 2008 under Master Jair Lourenço, alongside a team of competitive black-belt instructors. It runs both gi and no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for adults, plus a dedicated kids' pathway starting with a 'Babybolos' class for four-to-six-year-olds and Kids BJJ for ages six to twelve, across two locations in Katong and Novena. The school also offers Olympic-wrestling coaching alongside its jiu-jitsu curriculum. Trial classes are available at both outlets, making it a reasonable option for families wanting one school that covers young children through to competitive adults.
Katong & Novena
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5. Carpe Diem BJJ Singapore
Carpe Diem runs three Singapore outlets — Katong, Kovan and Spottiswoode Park on the city fringe — and builds its curriculum around what it calls a signature mix of BJJ, no-gi and judo, on the reasoning that grappling matches and BJJ competitions themselves start from standing. Classes are pitched across all ages and skill levels, with a coaching team the academy says includes national-level competitors and a dedicated instructor for its children's programme. Each branch keeps its own schedule of gi, no-gi and takedown-focused sessions rather than one house style everywhere. The spread of locations and standing-grappling emphasis suit students who want judo-style takedowns folded into their jiu-jitsu rather than treated as a separate art.
Multiple outlets (Katong, Kovan, Spottiswoode)
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6. Fortitude Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Fortitude was founded in 2014 by Professor Vinc Tan, who the gym says began training BJJ in his final year of university, and now also teaches alongside Professor Shane Suzuki at its Penhas Road home near Lavender. Its mat programme covers gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and no-gi grappling for adults, a separate kids' BJJ class running several afternoons a week, and supporting strength-and-conditioning, kettlebell and yoga-for-BJJ sessions built around the demands of grappling training. The gym pitches itself at both recreational hobbyists and competitors, describing its coaches as decorated without publishing a specific medal count on its own site. Its compact, single-site setup and supplementary conditioning classes suit someone who wants jiu-jitsu and grappling-specific fitness work from the same small team.
Lavender
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7. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Singapore
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Singapore, established in 2016, teaches under the Pedro Sauer Jiu-Jitsu Association, an affiliation it highlights alongside Pedro Sauer's own record as a coach, and runs mat programmes from two sites in Lavender and at SAFRA Choa Chu Kang. The school frames its curriculum around self-defence rather than sport competition, with a stated emphasis on technical precision across beginner and advanced adult courses, plus separate Kids and Tots Jiu-Jitsu classes for younger students. Its own materials do not clearly break down how much of the schedule is gi versus no-gi, so that's worth confirming before enrolling. A free trial class is offered, and the self-defence framing suits a beginner drawn more to practical safety than competition.
Multiple outlets (Lavender, Choa Chu Kang)
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8. MatLife BJJ
MatLife BJJ is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school on Hongkong Street near Boat Quay that markets itself under the tagline 'Life on the mats' and says its training covers the full BJJ spectrum, from fundamentals and all-levels gi classes to no-gi technique and dedicated sparring sessions. Programmes are aimed at self-defence, sport competition and general fitness, with age-banded kids' classes alongside the adult curriculum, though the school's own site does not name a specific founder or lineage. New students can book a short block of trial sessions before deciding whether to join. Its riverside, city-fringe location and even mix of gi and no-gi work make it a convenient option for anyone based in or near the CBD.
9. Maverick Martial Arts
Maverick Martial Arts is a Joo Chiat Road school pitched, in its own words, as affordable, high-quality BJJ training, run by coaches Pedro Wolff, from Brazil, and Chris Chua, from Singapore. Its programme spans kids' and teens' BJJ through to adult gi and no-gi grappling, with members-only open-mat sessions for students who want extra rolling time outside the regular timetable. The school leans on a smaller, community feel rather than a multi-branch chain, and online reviewers commonly mention attentive coaching and a clean, well-kept mat space. A bookable trial class is offered for anyone who wants to test a session before committing, suiting students nearby who prefer a boutique, no-frills school over a larger academy.
10. FaMA (Fitness and Martial Arts)
FaMA, short for Fitness and Martial Arts, is a River Valley school built around Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a short walk from Great World MRT. It is co-founded and led by head instructor Professor Zoro Moreira Jr., whom the school says received his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. and Adão Januário in 2005 under the Gordo Jiu-Jitsu lineage, and has taught in Brazil and Singapore since. Adult classes run through the week from early morning to evening, with a separate kids' programme built around discipline and confidence rather than competition. The gym's own site does not break its timetable down by gi versus no-gi, so that's worth confirming directly. Its long history and lineage-focused coaching suit adults wanting a BJJ-first curriculum.
River Valley
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11. Stronghold MMA
Stronghold MMA is a family-run academy on Turf Club Road, founded and taught by the husband-and-wife team of Lukas Leasure and Charmaine Lim Leasure, both of whom the gym describes as BJJ black belts with backgrounds spanning wrestling, boxing and Muay Thai. Alongside BJJ, the school teaches judo, boxing, Muay Thai and MMA, running gi and no-gi grappling for adults plus a dedicated kids' programme led by a named instructor. The gym frames BJJ as suited to fitness, weight loss and self-defence as much as competition, and says it runs classes seven days a week across morning, afternoon and evening slots. Its Bukit Timah-fringe location and broader combat-sports slate suit someone wanting jiu-jitsu within a small, family-run gym.
Bukit Timah (Turf Club)
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How to choose
- Check whether a school trains gi, no-gi or both, since a few Singapore academies — like BJJ Singapore's no-gi-only format — commit to just one. If you have a strong preference, or eventually want to compete under gi rules, confirm the weekly split before signing up rather than assuming every class covers both.
- Ask about the head coach's belt rank, lineage and who actually teaches the beginner classes. A gym's marketing can lean on a famous affiliation or a champion's name, but what matters more day to day is whether an experienced instructor, not just an assistant, corrects your technique in your first few months.
- Weigh a dedicated BJJ-only school against a larger multi-discipline gym. A single-focus academy often means a deeper, more specialised curriculum, while a bigger gym can offer more class times, other disciplines like Muay Thai or wrestling, and a larger pool of training partners near your level.
- Confirm kids', teens' and women's class options if you need them, since provision varies a lot: some schools run dedicated youth or women's programmes with their own instructors, while others simply fold everyone into general adult classes. Don't assume a programme exists just because a gym teaches BJJ.
- Take the trial class before judging anything else. Almost every academy on this list offers one, and it remains the fastest way to gauge coaching style, class size, mat hygiene and how welcoming existing students are to a newcomer, details no website can fully convey on its own.
. No changes recorded since.
Founder and Editor
Amir Wahab is the founder and editor of LocalRank, an independent Singapore rankings and local guides publication.
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