Best Mma Gym near Raleigh, North-carolina

If you’re looking for a gym that has a sense of community and commitment to each other; this is the right place for you. It was very quickly that I realized that after joining this gym. I’ve met so many amazing people, coaches and students alike. The coaches are very detail oriented and knowledgeable when teaching any form of martial art, whether it be professor Rob, Guy, Buu, Matt, Rob, and the list continues to go on of the amazing coaches. I truly have found my second family training with these people. We push each other in and out of class to be the best versions of ourselves possible, and for that I am truly grateful. Last but certainly not least this is the home of the very legendary and highly respected. Mrs. Sue. And she had truly been a blessing when it comes to communicating anything you would need from class times to needing to freeze payments due to unforeseen circumstances or sudden injury. Overall this gym leaves nothing to be desired and I would urge anyone who is even slightly interested in this sport to give Pendergrass a chance. Thank you for all you do guys !

Rob and Guy were so welcoming when I walked into the academy and made me feel comfortable immediately. I learned a lot in the class (with gi) I had with Rob and I appreciated how elaborate he was while explaining the drills. It’s elevates the experience as an athlete when the coach will walk around and correct technique individually for students. Especially helpful for a white belt like me! Both the Pendergrass bros bring a lot of good energy to the gym which is the right amount of levity once you’re done choking someone out on the mat.

I’ve had 2 sons at PAMA for a few years in jujitsu and kick boxing who are super excited to make every session possible. All the leaders from Guy to Rob to Boo to all the up and coming younger instructors are extremely focused on making it a fun but disciplined instruction time. You can’t forget about Ms. Sue who miraculously keeps all the wound up kids on track and ready for class. It’s a great learning environment and has a great ‘family’ feel. They host numerous secondary events throughout the year to bring in friends and family that would like to get introduced to BJJ or kick boxing. It’s a great place for youth of all ages to get exercise, learn focus, and have fun with their classmates. If I didn’t have a bum shoulder, I’d definitely be doing the adult classes.

Both of my children attend classes at PAMA as well as my husband. My husband has been going for about 1.5 years and my kids ~10 months. The coaches are fantastic and very involved. I feel the kids really enjoy going and all that they have learned! The only con is that it is a little on the pricier side. However they do meet twice a week with an optionally Saturday roll as well! We love PAMA and constantly recommend it to friends interested in BJJ.

PAMA is a great place for children to learn and become confident in their abilities. Professors Guy, Rob and Boo are great with kids and making everyone feel welcome. My 7 year old daughter has been attending PAMA for the last few months and she is usually very shy and timid. But after just her first class she was very excited to go back and do it again. I can’t say enough good things about PAMA and their great staff that are always eager to help.

Excellent gym, both in terms of the quality of instruction and overall gym culture. In addition to training myself, I have also enrolled my daughter and I could not be happier with the results. The level of engagement and commitment demonstrated by Billy and his team is second to none.

I love this place. The classes are top-notch, with flexible times that make it easy to fit into my schedule. The atmosphere is welcoming and supportive, fostering a culture of learning and encouragement that attracts people from all walks of life. It's become a place where I not only train but also look forward to seeing the incredible community of people I've met. The instructor is phenomenal—knowledgeable, patient, and dedicated to helping everyone improve. Everyone should train.

This place is fantastic. The kids class was great for my children and the adult instructors are amazing. I really appreciate the fact that upon first joining, the primary concern is to teach you how to defend yourself. On top of that I was really impressed with the professionalism and character of the instructors and staff. I can't recommend this gym highly enough!

I’m so thankful for this gym! I started here with zero prior experience. When I called to set up my first class, Patches at the front desk was so helpful and immediately made me feel welcomed. I’ve been a member here for almost 2 years now and I’m so incredibly thankful for Billy’s phenomenal instruction which makes learning jiu jitsu easy to understand, all of the other incredible instructors, and the community I have built with the people here at this gym.

I’m leaving this review in hopes that the leadership of this studio takes note of a simple yet important issue with their initial vetting process for potential members: transparency with pricing. As a busy parent, my time is limited, as is the case for many families considering extracurricular activities like jiu-jitsu for their kids. I reached out to inquire about pricing over the phone and via text but was repeatedly told that I needed to come in just to get that information. Frankly, this approach is inefficient and frustrating. If the pricing is beyond my budget, I don’t want to waste my time—or yours—on a free trial, only to find out we can’t afford it. On the other hand, if it fits my budget, I’d be happy to schedule a trial and potentially become a long-term member. Being transparent about pricing from the start would streamline the decision-making process and show respect for your customers' time. I'm leaving this review not to be difficult, but to hopefully encourage better practices. I’m happy to remove the 1-star review if I can receive the pricing in a straightforward manner. It’s a simple ask, but one that can make all the difference in attracting new members.