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Ohio Brasa/Deon Thompson Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 122 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Toledo, 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
- 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 — 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
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule ohiobrasajiujitsu.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (419) 410-5483
Hours
| Monday | 6–7 AM, 6–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 6–7 AM, 6–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 6–7 AM, 11 AM–12 PM, 7–8 PM |
| Thursday | 7–8 PM |
| Friday | 6–7 AM, 11 AM–12 PM, 6–8 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | 12–1 PM |
The classes they run
“I as a father want to be able to teach my children everything, but I let the experts do their job and I get to admire slightly from a distance.”
“I like that self-defense is a part of the curriculum because as a woman, it is very important to have those skills.”
“Professor Deon Thompson is a celebrity in the Midwest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene for his national gold-medal victories, his team’s successes, and his own tightly-run tournaments.”
“Look no further for high-quality martial arts suitable for competition, self-defense, or pure fitness in a clean facility.”
“He has patience with everyone from the beginners to the advanced and helps them anyway he can.”
Other martial arts here
“This has translated outside of BJJ and have become serious about competition: academics, football, soccer, baseball and wrestling.”
What members say
“Deon’s uniquely cerebral style of teaching combined with the welcoming culture he’s created makes this academy the best I’ve ever been to.”
“Deon’s uniquely cerebral style of teaching combined with the welcoming culture he’s created makes this academy the best I’ve ever been to.”
“Coach Deon is very skilled at teaching techniques in a way you or your child can understand.”
“I MUST state that I’m particularly impressed by his kids programming which seems unparalleled and is likely the absolute best in the region.”
“Professor Deon Thompson is a celebrity in the Midwest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene for his national gold-medal victories, his team’s successes, and his own tightly-run tournaments.”
“Look no further for high-quality martial arts suitable for competition, self-defense, or pure fitness in a clean facility.”
From the reviews
Ohio Brasa is an amazing school not only for adults but children as well. Coach Deon is very skilled at teaching techniques in a way you or your child can understand. Great environment that allows you to find your strengths. anwwork on your
It takes a village to raise a child is not just a saying, it’s absolutely true. Its a blessing to be able to find that village… that being said.. we Are blessed to have found DTBJJ, and enjoy the Coaches, the atmosphere and the teachings for our son… it humbles us to know how much he loves his new sport, his new…
Having trained a number of different places with multiple relocations, I can confidently say that Coach Thompson runs a fantastic program. Class sizes are right where you want them-- not too big to be lost, but large enough to have a good variety of training partners.
Deon’s uniquely cerebral style of teaching combined with the welcoming culture he’s created makes this academy the best I’ve ever been to. If you want to try Jiu Jitsu but are nervous because you’re not sure what the atmosphere is going to be like , look no further.
New to BJJ? Start at Ohio Brasa/Deon Thompson Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Ohio Brasa/Deon Thompson Brazilian 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 Ohio Brasa/Deon Thompson Brazilian 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.
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