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Faction Combat Gym | Krav Maga - MMA - BJJ - Muay Thai
4.9 ★★★★★ 105 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Mesa, Arizona
Affiliated academy — reviews and the gym's own info point to a recognized BJJ lineage or affiliation (think Gracie Barra, 10th Planet, Renzo Gracie, Alliance, Atos or Checkmat). If lineage matters to you, ask which affiliation the academy belongs to and under whom the head instructor earned their black belt.
Plan your first class
- Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
- Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
- Kids & youth classes kids and youth BJJ classes (ages 3–5) — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
- Open mat open-mat rolling sessions for members to practice live — always optional and at your own pace
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule factioncombat.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (480) 359-7431
Hours
| Monday | 8:30–11 AM, 3–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:30–11:30 AM, 3:30–8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:30–11 AM, 3–9 PM |
| Thursday | 8:30–11:30 AM, 3:30–8:30 PM |
| Friday | 8:30–11:30 AM, 4–9 PM |
| Saturday | 8:30 AM–1:30 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“As a concerned mom, I wanted my child to have the confidence and skills to properly defend himself.”
“I would highly recommend Faction Combatives to anyone who is intrigued, interested or is considering getting involved with some extremely functional self defense.”
“It was my first time ever getting involved with combat sports and from the first day I felt welcomed and met with an extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff.”
Other martial arts here
“I go to the Muay Thai class 4-5 times a week when I can and the coaches are great.”
“We started my youngest child in the MMA class with Maiston Hattery because he was being bullied at school.”
“You can also do MMA, BJJ, Kickboxing and Knife Defense classes.”
“We love how right away, even with such a small introduction to skills, they had my son sparring/wrestling with the other kids.”
What members say
“Maiston is a genius on the mat, in the cage, all around a great coach to learn from.”
“It was my first time ever getting involved with combat sports and from the first day I felt welcomed and met with an extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff.”
“It was my first time ever getting involved with combat sports and from the first day I felt welcomed and met with an extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff.”
“The instructors are very knowledgeable, motivating, and teach simple but effective techniques.”
“My daughter likes going here. It's improved her confidence in terms of interacting with people outside of her family.”
“Class times are convenient, tuition is extremely affordable, and, again, the skills you learn you can't even put a price on.”
From the reviews
Steve is amazing. When I first took a complimentary class, I noticed a few things. First; the people working out and the instructors were very welcoming. Second; as the class started, I could tell Steve was extremely knowledgably in the subject area. His teaching style was one of patience, guidance and motivation.
My family has been attending various classes at Faction Combat Gym for about 2years. All of the classes have been amazing. We started my youngest child in the MMA class with Maiston Hattery because he was being bullied at school.
If you're looking for a place to learn Krav Maga you need to visit this place. Come try a week. It's a place where there are no attitudes except good attitudes, the instruction is very good, very thorough and Steve, the instructor, is very knowledgeable in Krav as well as several other fighting methods.
I've been raving about this place for years to friends but realized I should also write a review for other folks to know. Parents- this place is amazing for kids. Our kid has been enrolled for a couple years and we have been beyond thrilled with our experience. Coach Maiston is AMAZING with kids.
New to BJJ? Start at Faction Combat Gym | Krav Maga - MMA - BJJ - Muay Thai
Faction Combat Gym | Krav Maga - MMA - BJJ - Muay Thai comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. If you've never rolled or set foot on a mat, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit or flexible to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the intensity to you. Second, you won't be thrown into hard rolling — reputable gyms build fundamentals (positions, escapes, and basic submissions) for weeks, live rolling eases in gradually, and tapping early keeps every roll safe. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out, and leave your ego at the door. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.
Your first BJJ class at Faction Combat Gym | Krav Maga - MMA - BJJ - Muay Thai
Nervous about walking into a BJJ gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling basic positions and escapes with a partner — not hard sparring. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: athletic wear you can move in (or a gi if you have one); you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and a mouthguard if you have one — many gyms lend a loaner gi for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gi (or a rashguard and shorts for no-gi) and a mouthguard. Live rolling eases in gradually, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.
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