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Chicago Mixed Martial Arts

4.9 ★★★★★ 91 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in Chicago, Illinois

Muay Thai gym Authentic Thai Beginners welcome Fight team

Authentic Thai — reviews and the gym's own info point to coaching rooted in Thailand's muay thai tradition. If lineage matters to you, ask where the coaches trained and about their kru.

Plan your first class

  • Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
  • Sparring & clinch sparring and clinch sessions for members ready for controlled contact — always optional and coach-supervised
  • Fight team a competition team for members who want to test themselves as amateur fighters
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule chicagomma.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone (312) 219-3095

Hours

Monday 6:30–7:30 AM, 11:45 AM–8 PM
Tuesday 6:30–7:30 AM, 11:45 AM–8:30 PM
Wednesday 6:30–7:30 AM, 11:45 AM–8:30 PM
Thursday 6:30–7:30 AM, 11:45 AM–8:30 PM
Friday 11:45 AM–7 PM
Saturday 9:30 AM–1 PM
Sunday 9:30 AM–1 PM

Hours shift for holidays, seminars, and open-gym times — worth a quick check before a special trip.

The classes they run

Muay thai classes on the schedule at Chicago Mixed Martial Arts, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🌱 Beginner Muay Thai 6 mentions

“This gym strikes a great balance between serious training and a welcoming atmosphere, making it an awesome place for both beginners and more experienced fighters.”

All gyms that run beginner muay thai →

🥊 Sparring 3 mentions

“He studies my style when sparring and gives direct feedback on what i can do better such as a right hook block and left kick counter move.”

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🏆 Fight Team 4 mentions

“This gym strikes a great balance between serious training and a welcoming atmosphere, making it an awesome place for both beginners and more experienced fighters.”

All gyms that run fight team →

📘 Fundamentals 4 mentions

“Stefan is the muay thai coach i train with the most (3+ a week) and has taught me the fundamentals of muay thai through well designed drills and exercises.”

All gyms that run fundamentals →

🛡️ Self-Defense

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Other martial arts here

Muay thai gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at Chicago Mixed Martial Arts — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🦵 Kickboxing 3 mentions

“Since my start, ive become more confident and knowledgeable in both brazilian jiu jitsu and muay thai kickboxing.”

Other gyms that also teach kickboxing →

🥋 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) 12 mentions

“Since my start, ive become more confident and knowledgeable in both brazilian jiu jitsu and muay thai kickboxing.”

Other gyms that also teach brazilian jiu-jitsu (bjj) →

🏟️ MMA 16 mentions

“More than half of my life (12 years+) with Misho and Chicago MMA and I can testify that this is the best MMA gym in Chicago.”

Other gyms that also teach mma →

Disciplines are mined from reviews and the gym's own info — they show what members have trained, not a formal class guarantee. If you specifically want BJJ, boxing, or MMA alongside muay thai, confirm the current schedule with the gym.

What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 91 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, authentic coaching 5 mentions

“The head coach Misho at Chicago MMA has a great BJJ philosophy which makes it very applicable to MMA.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 13 mentions

“This gym strikes a great balance between serious training and a welcoming atmosphere, making it an awesome place for both beginners and more experienced fighters.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly gym 13 mentions

“This gym strikes a great balance between serious training and a welcoming atmosphere, making it an awesome place for both beginners and more experienced fighters.”

📘 real technique & fundamentals 11 mentions

“Stefan is the muay thai coach i train with the most (3+ a week) and has taught me the fundamentals of muay thai through well designed drills and exercises.”

🔥 killer workout & conditioning 4 mentions

“Some classes are more technical work while others can be more conditioning… couldn’t recommend a better gym to join.”

🥊 legit sparring & fight team 10 mentions

“Most other BJJ gyms around Chicago are 90% ground based and focus on GI training, teaching lots of complex collar chokes which have no application outside of BJJ GI competitions.”

From the reviews

Ive been coming to this gym for over 4 months and have all great things to say about the instructors, the students, and the facilities/equipment. They have a frequent and flexible class schedule where i can train 7 times a week morning and night.

★★★★★ — Jonathan, Jan 2018

Legit BJJ blackbelt & Muay Thai instruction, coupled with a very welcoming environment. Classes are structured & build upon prior concepts. The facilities are well maintained, there is a nice, up to date work out area (weights, kettlebells, TRx, etc) with showers & towel service to boot!

★★★★★ — Nader, Dec 2025

I have been around an MMA gym environment before, and it had its issues. But I cannot say the same thing here. I got the 2 week trial deal, and was planning on checking some other places out originally; but now at the end of the 2 weeks I cannot help be feel like this is a place I can see calling home.

★★★★★ — Dj_, Jun 2026

The head coach Misho at Chicago MMA has a great BJJ philosophy which makes it very applicable to MMA. He teaches a 50/50 mix between stand-up and ground based training and has No-Gi classes every day.

★★★★★ — Ken, Sep 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 91 reviews →

New to muay thai? Start at Chicago Mixed Martial Arts

Chicago Mixed Martial Arts comes up as a beginner-friendly gym, going by their listing and members’ reviews. If you've never thrown a punch or a kick, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the conditioning to you. Second, you won't be thrown into sparring — reputable gyms build fundamentals (stance, footwork, and the basic strikes of the "art of eight limbs") for weeks before any contact, and sparring stays optional. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.

See their beginner class info

Your first muay thai class at Chicago Mixed Martial Arts

Nervous about walking into a muay thai gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling the basics on pads and bags — not fighting. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: shorts or athletic wear and a t-shirt; you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and hand wraps if you have them — many gyms lend gloves for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gloves, wraps, a mouthguard, and shin guards. Sparring is optional and comes later, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.

Muay thai is a contact sport. Ease in, listen to your coaches, and if you have any injuries or health concerns, mention them before class and check with a doctor if you're unsure.

Where to find Chicago Mixed Martial Arts

1528 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL60642

Get directions

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and member reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.