An honest, balanced review of a competition-focused academy with daily gi and no-gi training and an open door for visiting grapplers.
Pure Grappling Chiang Mai is one of the city's strong competition-friendly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies, running gi and no-gi classes daily and keeping its mat open to visiting practitioners. If you want technical, tournament-minded coaching in a city packed with travelling grapplers, it deserves a place on your shortlist. This Pure Grappling review covers what the academy does well, where it falls short, the rough cost of training, and the type of person it suits best.
In plain terms: choose Pure Grappling if you take your jiu-jitsu seriously, enjoy hard but fair rolling, and want a steady weekly rhythm of gi and no-gi sessions. If you are completely new to grappling and want to understand the sport before you step on the mat, start with our explainer on what BJJ is, then come back. Beginners are still welcome here, but the culture rewards consistency and effort.
This page focuses specifically on Pure Grappling. If you are still deciding between academies, read our wider guide to the best BJJ gyms in Chiang Mai, or browse the full Chiang Mai BJJ scene for context on the city as a training destination.
Pure Grappling trains in Chiang Mai, a compact northern Thai city where most academies sit a short scooter or taxi ride from the Old City and the Nimman district. We are deliberately not publishing a fixed street address on this page, because gym locations and contact details change and we would rather you confirmed the current address directly with the academy than relied on a number that might be out of date.
The training space is a dedicated mat area large enough for a full class to drill and roll without crowding, with changing facilities and somewhere to leave your belongings during sessions. Hygiene matters more than usual in a grappling gym, and you should expect the mats to be cleaned regularly between classes. As with most Chiang Mai gyms, parking is limited and a scooter is the easiest way to get there, so factor a short ride into your plans if you are staying in the centre.
Pure Grappling runs multiple classes per day, with both morning and evening options plus open mat slots for unstructured rolling. Across a typical week you will find dedicated gi sessions, no-gi sessions, and time set aside for sparring, which is what makes the academy attractive to competitors who want to sharpen up in both rule sets rather than specialising too early.
The training style leans towards live application. You will drill technique, but the academy expects you to test it under resistance, and rolling is a regular feature rather than an afterthought. That intensity is a strength if you are preparing for a tournament and a consideration if you are easing back in after a layoff. Timetables shift with the seasons and with demand, especially during the busier tourist months, so always check the current weekly schedule with the gym before you plan a visit.
Classes follow a recognisable structure: a warm-up, a technical block where the coach demonstrates and you drill with a partner, and then live rolling. The coaching emphasis is on understanding why a technique works, not just copying the shape, which tends to produce grapplers who can problem-solve under pressure rather than relying on memorised sequences.
Fundamentals sessions build the base, covering core positions, escapes, and high-percentage submissions, while more advanced classes explore deeper systems and competition-specific game plans. We are keeping the coaching description general here on purpose: we do not name individual instructors because line-ups change, and we would rather you met the coaches yourself than trusted a name that might no longer be on the mat. What you can reasonably expect is hands-on correction during drilling and a culture that treats jiu-jitsu as a craft.
As a guide, monthly unlimited training at Pure Grappling costs roughly 3,000 baht and a single drop-in session is around 400 baht. These figures are approximate and broadly in line with other Chiang Mai academies, which remain excellent value compared with equivalent training in Europe, the United Kingdom, or North America.
Treat these numbers as a starting point, not a quote. Weekly passes and longer multi-month memberships are often available at better effective rates, and prices drift over time. Confirm the current rates, what each option includes, and any sign-up requirements directly with the gym before you commit. If budgeting across the city matters to you, our Chiang Mai gym comparison sets Pure Grappling's pricing alongside the alternatives.
Pure Grappling is best for grapplers who want structured, competition-minded training and do not mind being pushed. If you are preparing for a tournament, hunting for sharp rolling partners, or you simply want a gym that treats jiu-jitsu as a serious craft while staying friendly, it is a solid fit. Travelling practitioners who want to keep training while in Chiang Mai will also find the drop-in culture easy to slot into.
It is a reasonable choice for beginners too, thanks to the fundamentals classes, provided you are happy to train somewhere with a competitive edge. If you instead want the most relaxed possible introduction to the sport, or a specific location closer to where you are staying, it is worth comparing the alternatives.
To be straight with you, Pure Grappling is one of several strong competition-friendly rooms in the city rather than the single top option. Gato BJJ is widely regarded as Chiang Mai's highest-level and most decorated academy, with the strongest no-gi programme and a deep bench of high-level black belts, so if you want the most advanced room in town that is where we would point you first. Pure Grappling remains a good alternative, especially for visitors who want a strong, welcoming mat with daily gi and no-gi. Our review of Gato BJJ covers the city's top academy, and the best gyms guide lays out the options side by side.
