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Verde Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai
4.9 ★★★★★ 86 Google reviews · BJJ gym in Cottonwood, 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 5) — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- 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 verdevalleybjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone (928) 365-1222
Hours
| Monday | 10 AM–12:30 PM, 4:30–7:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–12:30 PM, 4:30–7:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 10 AM–12:30 PM, 4:30–7:30 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–12:30 PM, 4–7:30 PM |
| Friday | 6–8 PM |
| Saturday | 9 AM–12 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“They offer a wide variety of classes, which has been fantastic for the kids to explore and get comfortable in different disciplines.”
“This gym matches my partners needs as a savage, the kids needs as curious and young, as well as mine as a woman and beginner.”
“Everyone I rolled with at the gym had the intelligence to figure that I am there to have fun and not go full Adcc rounds after hiking all day.”
“) After kickboxing classes I popped into an open mat, and then a couple jiu jitsu classes.”
“He was explaining some basic, beginner move to a packed room and his technique was so refined, went into such detail, that he made the black belts gasp with realizations.”
Other martial arts here
“I came in as a complete beginner, no experience in kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA, or even how to throw a proper punch and in just a few weeks, I’ve seen so much progress.”
“I came in as a complete beginner, no experience in kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA, or even how to throw a proper punch and in just a few weeks, I’ve seen so much progress.”
“I’ve seen some amazing progress in my own personal fitness journey as well as progress in my boxing and kickboxing skills!”
“I came in as a complete beginner, no experience in kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA, or even how to throw a proper punch and in just a few weeks, I’ve seen so much progress.”
What members say
“Jimmy is an excellent instructor and made it seem effortless to learn during our first kickboxing class.”
“He was explaining some basic, beginner move to a packed room and his technique was so refined, went into such detail, that he made the black belts gasp with realizations.”
“Working with James has been an amazing experience, talk about a humble, gifted and caring instructor!”
“Clay’s instruction and methods are conducive to making it a positive learning environment where his “little hammer” analogy is perfectly used during positional drills.”
“I started at this gym because my step kids love the BJJ classes.”
“Everyone I rolled with at the gym had the intelligence to figure that I am there to have fun and not go full Adcc rounds after hiking all day.”
From the reviews
I love this place a lot, and the coaches/professors are very kind and helpful, as well as the receptionists/managers. I have been going to Verde Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for 2 and a half years, but I have been doing Jiu Jitsu for almost 5 years as of 2025.
Fantastic school. I've been learning Jiu Jitsu for about 2 years now (on and off at different schools). This is my favorite school. Clay the instructor is amazing at showing the techniques and explaining the purpose of each detail. Now they have another instructor for the next few months.
I’ve been coming to these classes for about one month now. I’ve seen some amazing progress in my own personal fitness journey as well as progress in my boxing and kickboxing skills! Working with James has been an amazing experience, talk about a humble, gifted and caring instructor!
Visited this week. I usually try to visit another jiujitsu academy when traveling but I have been a little apprehensive ever since I find myself battling out of heel hooks after 10 mile hikes more often than I like to.. Fortunately the culture seemed really good at this academy. Coach Clay was very friendly.
New to BJJ? Start at Verde Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai
Verde Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and 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 Verde Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and 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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