This is absolute best training environment, Jesse and Stu have a pure love of Jiu Jitsu and have every intention to pass that on to their students. All the coaches and students are incredibly patient and willing to take their own time to explain any aspect of training. Facilities are brand new and cleanliness is always paramount. Both my kids are in 7-14 year old class and are incredibly happy and motivated to train. I love these guys and this space

Great instruction in a friendly and welcoming environment! The coaching staff has tons of knowledge to share and the facilities are clean and well taken care of if! The owners are constantly looking to improve the gym and give back to their students. I would I recommend to anyone looking to train whether they are brand new to the sport or have been training for years.

As an older guy, closing in on 50 I felt the urge to learn some new skills, not being ready to roll over yet! I live close by so this school was the natural choice. Stopped by to check it out and was welcomed by one of the coaches. I sat and watched the entire class (1.5 hours)I have spent some time training in martial arts during my life and I was impressed by the high standard of coaching.I decided to give it a go. The coaches are professional. The participants in class are friendly, although competitive at the appropriate time. There is a sense of community that I like,takes me back to my early days training Karate back in the UK in the mid 1980’s.If you are interested in BJJ you cannot go wrong with this place!

The coaches at Defiance Jiu Jitsu are truly amazing and informative. Jesse and Stu are always ensuring every student, new or seasoned, is always learning and progressing in their knowledge and understanding of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. When I have been sick and haven’t trained I have gotten calls and texts from both Jesse and Stu checking on me. I am truly lucky to have found this academy and am blessed to be a part of the Defiance family!

My son goes to the children’s classes and loves it. Jessie, Stu, and the other coaches are incredibly knowledgeable & always encouraging to the kids. The facility has such a great atmosphere & is very clean. They provide such a welcoming & professional space. I can’t recommend them enough!

Fitness, Discipline, FunWith the YMCA limited in their offerings, we looked elsewhere to fill the activity gap for our kids. We feel very fortunate to have found Defiance. My daughter (7 y/o) and son (4 y/o) attend the kids classes and absolutely love it. BJJ has quickly become the highlight of our week and we are extremely impressed with the positive environment that Coach Jesse and his team provide. Each session the class learns new skills and the kids get great exercise while having a ton of fun.

My daughter loves the coaches and the other students. She has never been a “sports” kid and when COVID hit and school went virtual she lost PE. We tried out Defiance and she just absolutely LOVES it. The coaches are AMAZING - so patient with the kids.

We have been a member for more then a year. My sons has earned 2 stripes.We love coach Stu and Jesse. They have done a great job and we cant wait for our youngest to get into training

Awesome place to train! Great friendly atmosphere and is truly like family. You wont find a better place to learn in the area.

Awesome place. Jesse and the guys are very welcoming and there are some really talented guys rolling here. If I lived here I would choose Defiance.

The coaches are great with kids and adults and patient with newcomers. Good environment, good hygiene, good vibes all around. Highly recommend.

I knew this was the place for me to train right when I walked through the door. The coaches, students and atmosphere of Defiance are welcoming and professional. BJJ is a way of life and Defiance backs that up!

Ho ho, this is a great place to start jiu jitsu. The coaches are great and the gym is clean.

I love Defiance for its welcoming community, excellent coaching staff, clean environment, and commitment to team. If you’ve ever had the thought to try a jiu jitsu class, try Defiance and you won’t be disappointed.

Amazing gym for striking and jiu jutsu

I have known Coach Stu for nearly 20 years. There are very few people I respect as much as him in matters of both character and competence. I unreservedly trust him to teach my kids-- not just in matters of technique, but also in the underlying matters of violence and moral philosophy.I have a friend who likes to say that, Humility is teach-ability. in Coach Stus case, his modesty also makes for a patient instructor. He is smart and articulate, and is able to explain things in a variety of ways so that everyone understands. He has a subtle sense of humor that keeps things light, even when everyone is working hard.All of this had made for an experience that my son LOVES, and as a parent-- Im grateful for.I cannot recommend this school enough to people-- especially parents of school aged kids.

Great instructions. Friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

Family Friendly Jiu Jitsu Academy. My wife and two daughters all train as well. During the adult classes my kiddos are allowed sit off the mat and as long as they don’t disrupt the class. Makes it a lot easier to train with my limited schedule having the option of bringing my kiddos.I attend the striking on Monday nights as well as Gi and No Gi Jiu Jitsu the rest of the week. I love the atmosphere, material, and instructors. No “tough guy” atmosphere here. Everyone is welcoming and wants to help.Black Belt instructors at the academy are Stu and Jesse. They’re both excellent men, great jiu jitsu practitioners, and instructors. I feel very lucky to have found an academy with the students, instructors, and atmosphere at Defiance Jiu Jitsu.Allen and Maurice are the striking instructors. They’re also both excellent strikers and great instructors. I love the striking classes. Based on your skill level you can work the basics or if you’re more advanced can work heavier combos and transitions to ground work.The children’s classes are also fantastic for my daughters. They’re having legit fun, working hard, and learning discipline. Stu and Jesse are both family guys so the kids take to them well.You cannot go wrong giving the team at Defiance Jiu Jitsu a shot. I couldn’t recommend this academy any higher. Doesn’t matter your level of experience you may bring to the mat you can find a good Jiu jitsu home here.Oss

After being a part of Defiance Jiu Jitsu over these past few months, I can honestly say that this is the type of environment that nurtures growth and empowerment. The coaches are welcoming and ALWAYS go the extra mile to make sure each student is learning and understanding. I’m very proud to be a part of the Defiance family.

Both of my kids (4 and 8) and my husband (a 44-year-old who took almost a decade off of bjj before starting at Defiance) have loved training here! Coaches are supportive, disciplined and hold high but achievable expectations of everyone they train. It is a great community, clean and spacious gym and challenging physically and mentally for all ages and abilities. All of us highly recommend you try this out!

Tight knit and very friendly group doing it the right way. I’m a transplant and really appreciate the team here.*the cleanest athletic facility of any kind I’ve ever seen

Traveling the US has had me training at a number of gyms both on the west coast and east coast: amazing and not so amazing. I cant say enough good things about training with Coach Stu, Coach Jesse, and Coach Allen. Their instruction and mentorship has reinforced my love for all martial arts and helped me along the stress filled journey called life. My life has improved since joining the One Jiu Jitsu team. I love this team and will never head anywhere else. We are ONE ☝

My boys, 4 and 8 attend the kid classes at Defiance Jiu Jitsu and I cannot say enough great things about the skills and discipline they are learning. Stu, Jesse and the other instructors at Defiance Jiu Jujitsu are refreshingly warm, humble people who know their bjj really well. The instruction is thorough and questions are answered patiently and with great detail. Also, really important….the facility/mats are super clean!This is a great place for kids and kids at heart to learn Jiu Jitsu, make new friends and learn to be a better, fitter and happier (kid) person. I am very grateful they are in Tacoma/University Place. Go check them out!

Ive been a member since shortly after they opened their doors. Coach Stu and Coach Jesse are excellent teachers and have created an inviting and fun environment to train in. If you are hesitant about taking your first class, please just come and check it out. Youll know right away you made the right choice.Also, the mats are treated after every session and the facility overall is very clean, which is important in any combat sport.

Defiance BJJ is a great place to train. After a few years of sedentary dadhood, I was overweight, out of shape, and starting to feel my age (45). After 5 months with Coach Jesse and Coach Stu, I feel stronger, healthier, and am excited to go to class. The environment at Defiance BJJ is helpful, welcoming, and supportive. There are no meat heads or people who feel like they have something to prove by beating on someone. Everyone is helpful and respectful and they go out of their way to help you learn. Ages in the adult classes range from 14 to 45 (me). Adult classes are usually 20-35% female. Ive enjoyed it so much, that my two girls (4 and 7) go as well. Kids classes are usually about 35-50% girls with a spectrum of ages and experiences.Every class is a good learning experience, with the first 30 minutes being warm up or light work, the second 30 minutes spent actively drilling a sequence of moves, and the last 30 minutes spent sparring (live practice) with another student or one of the coaches. There is no pressure to spar hard, although you can certainly do that as you wish. You wont spar on your first class, so you dont have to worry about that. You can always work technique with an upper belt instead. Ive grown from being slightly fearful of sparring to liking it a lot.

We are loving Defiance Jiu-Jitsu. My husband is doing the sparing classes plus the regular classes. We also have three of our kids doing the kids classes and everyone is learning a lot and loving it. Coach Stu and Coach Jesse are great teachers and role modes.

Great community. Knowledgeable coach’s. Love this club. Super clean mats and environment.

Our son goes to the 4-6 year old class and he loves it. The coaches are excellent with the kids and our son looks forward to the class every week. They are very interactive with the kids and make sure to teach the kids proper technique.

The guys at Defiance BJJ are amazing. Stu and Jesse are very passionate about what they do and want to share that passion with everyone that walks in. The classes are very exciting and the team there is super helpful in teaching people that are new to the sport. I am always learning something new while getting a great and intense workout in. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very rigourous yet very rewarding sport, and its great to have the kind of training and motivation that these coaches give to you everyday. They want to see you succeed and want you to be the best you can be. Never a dull moment and I have 0 complaints, these guys rock!

This is a great gym! I started at Defiance and have learned a lot from Coach Jesse and Coach Stu. All members are very willing to help in your development and want to see you grow. I would highly recommend this gym.

Very welcoming and friendly people. Coaches are extremely knowledgeable and excellent instructors. Defiance was highly recommended to me before I joined and it has definitely lived up to the hype. It is an excellent environment for learning and a great place to meet some amazing people. Everyone is very helpful towards newcomers which makes starting jiu jitsu a much more enjoyable experience.

Our son has been going here for about six months and the instructors are all amazing.

Went to my first BJJ class last week with no experience. Coach Stu and Coach Jesse couldn’t have been more welcoming as well as the rest of the students. The training environment was super welcoming. The upper belts were very friendly and patient with me while imparting their will against me :). Can’t wait to go back and continue my journey in bjj with this group of people.

Defiance jiu-jitsu is my familys home away from home. I cant say enough how amazing the people are at this location. Myself, my fiance, and our 7 year old all train regularly, and I cant thank Coach Jesse and Coach Stu enough for how incredibly supportive they both are. Im very thankful for the environment that they have created for us to grow in our shared passion. The entire team is incredibly understanding and supportive, as well as very patient, considering my fiance battles with fibromyalgia and chrohns disease on a daily basis. Everyone is very supportive of one another, and all egos are always left at the door, and every single person is supportive of everyone else inside those doors. I cant say enough how much that means to me and my family. Id HIGHLY recommend this gym to anyone looking to try jiu-jitsu, or anyone looking for a new gym.

Defiance BJJ has been an incredible experience for my teenager. He is surrounded by mentors that encourage and push him to continually improve. Hes grown as a person, a leader, and as a member of a team with strong code of values.

If you want to to up your Jiu Jitsu, this is where you go! Awesome professor and coaches. Very clean and friendly environment. Also is home to the best female practitioners in the city...IJS.

Enrolled my 9 year old son in the jiu jitsu class after a free introductory session. He really likes it! Sessions are very well organized and consistent, and always have at least 2, if not 3, instructors helping the kids through the movements. They really get at the kids level and work with them on the subtleties. Very impressed so far!

I love this place! The coaches are awesome and its such a great environment for my sons to learn bjj in! =)

Stu and Jesse are motivated to lead lil kiddos, youth, & adults to and through the journey of BJJ practice. They foster an environment that feels safe, fun, and true to what BJJ is all about. Looking forward to seeing their team grow!

Going to your first jiu jitsu class can be an intimidating experience, however at Defiance the staff and students have created a welcoming atmosphere that is very conducive to learning. The coaching here is excellent and my fellow students are patient and generous in sharing their knowledge. There is no where else I’d rather practice and learn the gentle art.

Incredible coaching staff! Patient, welcoming and helpful - I am proud to learn Jiu-Jitsu and striking here as is my 6 year old son!

My son loves coming here... The coaches are excellent with the kids...the kids all have a good time while learning jui jitsu.. respect.. and discipline..

Recently moved to the area and was looking for a nice group of people to train with. This place fit the bill.

If you are looking for an excellent BJJ experience with solid instructors and an all around great group of BJJ players look no further then Defiance.

I have trained in a few different grappling arts from Aikido, CSW (Combat Submission Wrestling), 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, and wrestling. Finding the right school can sometimes be challenging, especially if you are new to grappling arts.My 11 year old son wanted to start training in jiu jitsu. I did some research on schools for kids around the area. We went to a couple of schools to check them out. I was not very impressed. I was told by a good friend that his neighbor had a school in U.P. We decided to go check it out. Kids train on Sunday which was perfect! When we arrived Jesse greeted us almost immediately. Asked us great questions spoke to my son and was very friendly. We stayed to watch the kids class.The discipline and instruction Jesse and Stuart provide these kids is fantastic and second to none! They are so good that I am thinking about joining and getting back on the grappling journey. The youth and adult classes grow larger every week. This is because the instruction, coaches, and students are so great. Its truly a family atmosphere!Highly recommend this school!

I really enjoyed my visit to Defiance Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The instruction was excellent and everyone was very welcoming to a new face on the mat. If youre looking to pick up some solid details and have some great rolls I highly recommend checking out Defiance Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!

Good

Great group of coaches!

Great group of people!