MMA Gyms in San Diego
San Diego's 10 MMA gyms skew serious: The Arena on Sports Arena Boulevard, Victory in the Midway district, Chris Leben's Training Center in Pacific Beach and AKA's South Bay branch in Chula Vista, plus fight-team rooms in Escondido, El Cajon and Oceanside. Hobbyists are welcome everywhere, but expect fight-team energy.
MMA gyms in San Diego
Listings updated September 2026, official links verified · Schedules and details are community-sourced: check with the venue before you go.
10th Planet Jiu Jitsu San Diego
No-gi academy on Mission Gorge Road in Grantville led by 10th Planet black belts Richie and Geo Martinez, with boxing, kickboxing and a dedicated MMA program alongside submission grappling.
American Kickboxing Academy San Diego
South Bay branch of the famed American Kickboxing Academy in Chula Vista, offering MMA, Thailand-lineage Muay Thai, BJJ and submission wrestling.
Escondido Combat Academy
Escondido gym run by Dom and Jen Chisem offering MMA, no-gi jiu jitsu, boxing and Muay Thai for adults and kids.
North County MMA
Escondido MMA gym on East Valley Parkway staffed by professional fighters and BJJ black belts, teaching striking, grappling and MMA to adults and kids.
San Diego Combat Academy
East County academy in Spring Valley offering MMA, boxing and Muay Thai with coach Tony Palafox, plus gi and no-gi jiu jitsu for kids and adults seven days a week.
Switch Fitness San Diego
El Cajon gym with an active MMA fight team founded by Bellator veteran Andy Murad, offering MMA, Muay Thai, BJJ, judo and boxing.
The Arena MMA
Large combat sports facility on Sports Arena Boulevard covering MMA, boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ and wrestling, with head MMA coach Vince Salvador and former Bellator champion Liz Carmouche on the pro team.
The Compound MMA & Fitness
Oceanside gym open around the clock, with roughly 95 classes a month across MMA, BJJ, no-gi grappling, boxing, Muay Thai and wrestling.
The Training Center
Pacific Beach MMA gym founded by former UFC fighter Chris Leben, home of world champion Baret Yoshida’s jiu jitsu program alongside boxing, kickboxing and wrestling.
Victory MMA & Fitness
MMA-based gym of 22,000 square feet on Midway Drive offering BJJ, boxing, Muay Thai and MMA, with ADCC champion Dean Lister among the coaches.
Find training partners in San Diego
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Frequently asked questions
- Do I need experience to start MMA?
- No, most MMA gyms welcome complete beginners and let you start with one discipline (striking or grappling) before mixing them. Fundamentals classes are separate from the fight team.
- What disciplines does MMA training cover?
- A typical MMA gym combines striking (boxing, Muay Thai or kickboxing), wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, plus strength and conditioning. You can train each separately or blend them in MMA classes.
- How do I find MMA training partners in San Diego?
- Drillz matches you with fighters near you by level, discipline and goals, and shows open sessions on a live map. One tap to join. It's coming soon on iOS: join the waitlist to be first in.