Create connection
No-gi control starts with contact that does not depend on cloth. Students may study underhooks, overhooks, wrist control, head position, and frames.
- Hand-fighting
- Underhooks, overhooks, and wrist control
- Frames and head position
No-gi training · Adults
Grappling
Explore no-gi grappling training at Chicago MMA.
Connection and movement without the uniform
A closer look at no-gi grappling
Control without
uniform grips.
Chicago MMA’s Grappling path is no-gi: students work without the jacket and pant grips used in gi Jiu-Jitsu. That places more emphasis on body position, hand-fighting, connection, and movement during transitions.
Every class gives you a clear place to begin, with coaching feedback and attentive repetitions that help you build one skill at a time.
Move from standing
The study can include stance, level changes, balance, entries, and what happens immediately after a takedown attempt succeeds or is defended.
- Stance and level awareness
- Clinch entries and setups
- Returning to a stable position
Manage the scramble
No-gi rounds can change quickly. Drills can focus on recognizing a transition, building a base, and choosing a position before chasing the next action.
- Guard passing and retention
- Base, balance, and recovery
- Transitions between controls
Connect control to submission
Students may explore how positional control, defensive awareness, and submission mechanics fit together within coached partner practice.
- Positional hierarchy
- Joint-lock and choke awareness
- Controlled situational rounds
The tradition
Know where
the art comes from.
Grappling is an umbrella term rather than one single historical style. It describes systems that use clinches, takedowns, positional control, escapes, and submissions; Chicago MMA uses the term here for its no-gi training pathway.
Understanding an art’s history gives useful context for the technical work you will see on the mats.
The program
How training
takes shape.
Chicago MMA uses Grappling for its no-gi training pathway: a setting to study clinches, takedowns, control, escapes, transitions, and submissions without uniform grips. It is presented as a training path, not as a separate historic lineage claim.
A typical no-gi class starts with movement and position awareness before a focused exchange is drilled and tested through controlled rounds.
- 01
Move & position
Warm-up and movement work establish the positions that frame the day’s lesson.
- 02
Connect the sequence
Partners drill entries, transitions, or escapes with a clear shared goal.
- 03
Test the idea
Coached positional work can help students explore the skill at an appropriate pace.
Classes follow a focused format built around the day’s technical theme. Review the weekly schedule for current times, then ask the team about the class you plan to attend.
Your foundation
Skills that
add up.
Students may study no-gi body control and the decisions that connect standing exchanges, ground transitions, control, and recovery.
Coaches introduce skills in clear steps and help students identify a productive next focus for their own training.
Clinch & takedowns
Work on stance, hand-fighting, balance, entries, and the transition from standing to the mat.
No-gi control
Study frames, grips, pressure, guard management, and passing without relying on a uniform.
Escapes & submissions
Practice defensive movement, positional recovery, and submission awareness in a coached setting.
Chicago MMA team
People in
the roster.
Meet the coaches connected to this training path. Use the weekly schedule or contact Chicago MMA for the latest class information.
- Misho CekoBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu · Grappling · Luta Livre · MMA
- Chuong PhamBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu · Grappling
- Patrick GatbuntonBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu · Grappling · Kids BJJ
The long game
Keep building
your practice.
No-gi practice gives students a setting to study control, transitions, balance, and decisions during changing positions. Its partner-based drills also make room for technical repetition and communication.
Consistency, attention, and good training partners give you more opportunities to understand the art over time.
Your first visit
Start with a clear next step.
Review the weekly schedule for current class details, then explore membership options when you are ready to choose a training path.
Choose your path
Find the right
membership.
Compare recurring, prepaid, and class-based training options. Membership terms and current enrollment details are available in one place.
Ready to
begin?
Choose a membership path, then review the current schedule before your first visit.
Explore memberships