Home › Ohio › Cleveland › Hurricane Jiu Jitsu
Hurricane Jiu Jitsu
4.9 ★★★★★ 181 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Cleveland, Ohio
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
- 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 — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- Women's classes dedicated women's BJJ classes — a welcoming space to train and start out in
- 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 hurricanejj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 216-262-8468
Hours
| Monday | 6:30 am–8 pm |
| Tuesday | 6:30 am–8 pm |
| Wednesday | 6:30 am–8 pm |
| Thursday | 6:30 am–8 pm |
| Friday | 6:30 am–8 pm |
| Saturday | 10 am–12 pm |
| Sunday | 10 am–12:30 pm |
The classes they run
“Kids classes offered 4 nights a week makes it easier to fit into our busy schedule.”
“Hurricane JJ has a fantastic group of instructors and competitors.”
“I stopped in for a holiday open mat, which draws people from all over the area.”
“He also has an eye towards practical self defense BJJ as well as sport.”
“The huge expanse of mats are brand new and secure so no place to jam a finger or toe.”
Other martial arts here
“Even if I only stayed for a day, I learned heavily helpful information that would help with my Judo practice.”
What members say
“It’s a state of the art facility and the head instructor John Lawrence and another instructor’s are high level competing athlete’s.”
“I was in town visiting family and reached out to John, who responded right away and made me feel welcome.”
“I was in town visiting family and reached out to John, who responded right away and made me feel welcome.”
“John was courteous and welcoming; his instruction was clear and concise; and his technique was excellent.”
“I stopped by Hurricane BJJ to learn some moves and sweat out all the alcohol from Great Lakes Brewery (which was amazing btw.”
“Are you interested in competition bjj, self defense or a good workout?”
From the reviews
i've been going here for a little over 2 years, changed my life. got my blue belt through here; i go with my dad and eventually got my sister and mom into it. its great. 5 stars for a 5 star place with 5 star people.
I had the distinct pleasure of doing a early morning drop-in training session at Hurricane Jiu Jitsu under Professor John Lawrence while I was in Cleveland visiting family and it was such a fun time! Professor John was very quick to respond when I texted and was so very welcoming.
Hurricane JJ has a fantastic group of instructors and competitors. My 8 year old has been attending for 3 years and he has had so much growth and improvement with the guidance of this group. Kids classes offered 4 nights a week makes it easier to fit into our busy schedule. Highly recommend for kids!
Hello! Nevaeh here! Even if I had only come in for just a day and I happened to be very inexperienced in the class I mistakingly took (bjj), the environment was very friendly and caring towards me even with all my faults.
New to BJJ? Start at Hurricane Jiu Jitsu
Hurricane Jiu Jitsu 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 Hurricane Jiu Jitsu
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.
More BJJ gyms near Cleveland
Full Circle Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 25 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site