Fighter 101: Where To Stay Sharp And Fierce In Bali

1. Bali MMA in Canggu

If you are a fan of MMA fights, especially ONE Championship, you should definitely visit this MMA gym. One of the owners and instructors is currently ONE’s top contender for the Bantamweight Class from USA, Andrew Leonne. If you sign up for BJJ class, you can get up close and personal with the pro.

Located on Jalan Raya Padonan, which is just a few meters away from Canggu’s main road, Bali MMA gym offers mixed martial arts classes by top instructors who have swung punches and rolled submissions on professional fights. On good days, you even have the chance to train side by side with their professional athletes as well! Hence, the atmosphere during the training session is so much more competitive and can be quite intense. That being said, it’s the best kind of atmosphere to motivate you into staying sharp and fierce!

To sign up for any class or membership, you need to get to the front desk. It is located behind the gym’s cafe next to the boxing/Muay Thai building. For a single class, they will charge you 200,000 IDR (approximately 15 USD). They also offer you unlimited pass at 350,000 IDR (approximately 26 USD) for one day and 3 million IDR (approximately 222 USD) for one month. They accept both cash and card.

They are open Monday to Saturday, 8:00 am to 7:30 pm, with different schedules for each class. Training gear are available for sale and some are available for rent. Besides MMA, they have a surfing camp and accommodation available. Complete schedules, fees, and list of instructors can be accessed on their official website.

Bali MMA also holds a fighting event, Canggu Fight Night, every once in awhile. With a 150,000 IDR (approximately 11 USD) entry ticket, you can hang out with both local and international fight enthusiasts to watch ten bouts of amateur Muay Thai, boxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. It’s a night of blood, sweat, and beers!

2. Synergy BJJ MMA Academy in Dojo Aora, Seminyak

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Everyone in the MMA world must have heard of the Gracie family. They are the founders of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. And here at Synergy BJJ MMA Academy, you get to train with Niko Han, the head coach of Synergy Jiu-Jitsu Academy®, a Certified Academy and Official Rickson Gracie Team. The academy has many branches worldwide and Bali is the headquarters. Niko started his training under Rickson Gracie back in Los Angeles. Since his return to Bali in 2003, he has been coaching right here in this MMA gym.

Having trained with him myself, I fell in love with grappling although I came from a striking martial arts background. This academy offers you a friendly atmosphere. The instructors are attentive and they will roll with the students instead of just giving instructions.

Located at Dojo Aora on Jalan Nakula, Seminyak, it is on the second floor of the Kawan Market building. If you get there through Sunset Road, you will see a big sign for Hammerhead Gym on the side of the building from afar. The place is open from Monday to Friday during classes only. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, they have No Gi class from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. And on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they have Gi class from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.

For a single class, they will charge you 150,000 IDR (approximately 11 USD). There are three types of one month unlimited memberships. The one for Gi classes is bundled for 800,000 IDR (approximately 60 USD), for No Gi it’s 1.2 million IDR (approximately 89 USD), and for both it’s 2 million IDR (approximately 148 USD). Bring your own training gear or buy some of them here. They only accept cash, so bring enough rupiah. ATMs are available downstairs in front of the supermarket. Besides BJJ Gi and No Gi Classes, Dojo Aora also offers other mixed martial arts classes. More information is available on their Facebook page.

3. Indie Fight Club in Denpasar

Since the other two MMA gyms are located in tourist areas, people who visit the gyms are mostly tourists or expats. This is unlike Indie Fight Club, which is located in the Denpasar area, so you get to meet more locals and local athletes. The head coach is from Thailand, so it’s best to have a private Muay Thai session with him!

This MMA gym is equipped with complete facilities. If you want to do some more workouts after or before the training session, there is plenty of gym equipment you can use. Plus, there is also a swimming pool available for all members of the gym.

The place is located on Jalan Tukad Pakerisan. Right across from the gas station, you can see a street with Komplek Putri Garden on its entrance next to the Indie Fight Club sign. The gym is right at the end of this street. You can ask the security guard where to find the front desk where you can sign up for the annual membership. It is only 100,000 IDR (approximately 7.5 USD). Then, for a private session with the coach, they will charge you 250,000 IDR (approximately 18.5 USD) but you have to give them one day prior notice. You can also sign up for a monthly five-time training pass at 650,000 IDR (approximately 48 USD) or unlimited pass at 1.3 million IDR (approximately 96 USD) in which you can train all day, all month as they are open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm (they close two hours earlier on Saturday). Besides the gym, this place offers you a healthy eatery and accommodation for anyone.