Radical MMA NYC

Richard Jessie Johnson

Look no further for data driven and battle tested self defense/no rules fighting. By the time I came to New York I knew I needed more than just jujitsu. I spent some time in San Diego training at a well-known school for jujitsu but I noticed that they were very much into sport jujitsu which didn’t do a whole lot for self-defense or fighting in the street. Radical MMA is the real deal. Their emphasis on no rules fighting, competing in sports that allow both grappling and striking, and Renees experience and data driven system of self defense are a truly superior combo. Other schools in the area are catching on but they teach both striking and grappling separately whereas radical integrates everything from the get go. The class sizes are manageable so there’s a lot of one on one attention. Which brings me also to the coach. Renee is the head coach and he onboard everyone who enters his Academy. He truly cares about our development as fighters and people. No hyperbole, his experience, teaching acumen, and genuine generosity are exceptionally rare and more than worth the price of tuition. It’s the most comprehensive system I’ve ever come across and it actually works. Even if I left New York and had to train somewhere else to get partners, I would still defer to Renee and his system. This is New York’s best fighting gym.

Valentine Body Works

I have been with the Radical family since the opening of the dojo (a long time ago) and I am very thankful for my MMA journey. Having trained as a boxer for 7 or so years I had no knowledge or understanding of the grappling arts. Looking at myself now I couldn’t imagine training in martial arts without Jiu Jitsu or wrestling. Training at Radical MMA has certainly improved my life and myself as a person! Coach Rene is a highly knowledgeable coach, who has a great sense of humor, is understanding and evolves with his students. I have always appreciated disciplined technique and tactics oriented training and these are just a few of the elements that coach Rene is amazing at! In addition, we train with injury prevention in mind. Professor Rene not only teaches you how to fight, he also helps you learn and understand movement. Every day is a learning journey at Radical. We learn from each other and we improve together! Osu!

Dave McAlinden

1 YEAR UPDATE: It's been exactly 1 year since I joined Radical MMA. And since then, I can honestly say my skills as a fighter have improve 20 fold. From about age 10 to about age 20 I was a highly competitive wrestler. In that time, I was a multi-time state placer and OSAA runner up. I then went on to wrestle for an NAIA championship team. I am now 38 years old. And despite the age and fitness gap between then and now, I've never felt more confident in my grappling skills. Especially in terms of how those skills can apply to self defense. I'm fairly certain that the 38 year old me with 1 year of training at Radical could give a pretty good beating to the version of me at the height of that wrestling career. The wrestling background has no doubt accelerated my growth here; however, those who began training at the same time have improved along the same trajectory regardless a background in combat sports. So, no matter your aptitude coming into the gym, your skills-competency will progress at a steady clip. The techniques work, and the manner in which they are instructed is efficient, effective, and enjoyable. Nevertheless, I will say this: You get out of this exactly what you put into it. If you want to learn how to fight—I mean really fight; with skill, grace, and intelligence— you have to be serious and specific about the goals you bring into your training experience. The school trains BJJ with strikes and never uses techniques which can lead to one's vulnerability in a fight setting. That is, there is no sports oriented jiujitsu here. Radical trains well-rounded fighters, not just good grapplers or strikers. It's a serious course of training and you will be amazed at the results if you show up consistently, accept feedback, and do your best. Two things you should know about the Radical MMA culture: First, there are some aspects that are quite traditionalist, but they all have strong reasoning behind them. For example, we are required to greet and depart as well as answer in the affirmative by exclaiming the Japanese "Osu". The reason for this is to set and maintain a serious mindset to stay focused and persevere through discomfort. Furthermore, there is a culture of respect and professionalism that is a bit formal and slightly strict. For example, swearing as well as crossing your arms is not allowed as it is seen as conducive to an environment of disrespect. Additionally, any type of meat-headish or inappropriate behavior can be met with expulsion from the gym. These social constraints and limitations are there to both maintain courtesy and keep people safe. As such, you will get along with everyone and you will have a lot of fun. Second, the proprietor of Radical MMA, Rene Dreifuss, is an extremely dedicated coach. He wants the students to be the best they can be. As such, students are provided with a lot of personalized feedback. Rene always works to improve his instruction and his relationships with the students. And, he is very conscious of everyone's safety in the gym—albeit vigilant about students avoiding injuries. Although this sounds all very serious, he will tell a lot dad-jokes. A lot of them are mnemonics to help remember principles and techniques, but they also have the ancillary effect to not take things too seriously, to relax, and allow yourself to enjoy the experience. I highly recommend Radical MMA to anyone who wants to develop combat skills, make a few friends, and get in shape. ————————————————————————————————————————

Adam Garcia

Radical MMA is a great school to gain a complete understanding of martial arts as a system. Rene is an extremely well versed teacher, able to take his students and develop them into martial artists. There's no ego in the academy, all the students are friendly and more than willing to help you. Room is spacious with 3 levels, mats are clean, and showers are available.