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Mata Leão Jiu-Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 32 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Erie, Pennsylvania
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
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule mataleaojj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
Hours
| Monday | 6:30–8:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 5:30–8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 6:30–8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 5:30–8:30 pm |
| Friday | 5–6:30 pm |
| Saturday | 10–11:30 am |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“My nephew is just getting started and had an amazing experience in the youth class.”
“Really good teachers, appropriate for must ages and a very good way to learn jujitsu self defense”
What members say
“Scott is a great instructor and there were no easy rounds in the room - except for me now that I think about it!”
“Exceptional instruction and a clean, welcoming facility make this Jiu-Jitsu school stand out.”
“I visited this gym multiple times while visiting from out of town, they treated me like family and I had lots of fun, challenging rolls.”
“This school has great fundamentals and solid people to roll with.”
“The facilities are clean, the instruction is great, and the training partners are very friendly.”
From the reviews
My wife and I are visiting family and wanted to get some training in and reached out to see if we could drop in. My nephew is just getting started and had an amazing experience in the youth class. Scott is a great instructor and there were no easy rounds in the room - except for me now that I think about it!!!
Exceptional instruction and a clean, welcoming facility make this Jiu-Jitsu school stand out. The instructors are knowledgeable and passionate about their craft, providing top-notch training in a supportive environment. Whether you're a beginner or advanced practitioner, you'll feel right at home here.
Amazing ! Purple belt from Colombia Had the opportunity to train with both coaches Chris and Scott , legit Jiu jitsu ,well structured classes. good times over there. Definitely I felt like home. super respectful and technical students as well. One of the most welcoming academy I’ve trained in my travels.
Great facility and great instruction! Can’t recommend this place enough. Weekly classes and instructors are top notch. They’re also bringing high level jiu jitsu to Erie with an amazing series of seminars. Bonus: Everyone is super friendly and welcoming!
New to BJJ? Start at Mata Leão Jiu-Jitsu
Mata Leão Jiu-Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym, going by their listing and members’ reviews. 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 Mata Leão 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. 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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