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Cruz Mixed Martial Arts Academy
4.7 ★★★★★ 55 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in Nutley, New Jersey
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
- Kids & youth classes kids and youth muay thai classes — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- 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 cruzmma.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 201-409-6394
Hours
| Monday | 5:30–9:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 5:30–9:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 5:30–9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 5:30–9:30 pm |
| Friday | 6:30–8 am |
| Saturday | 11 am–12:30 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
The classes they run
“Both my son and I trained with Plinio at another gym that he filled in for on Sundays.”
“This place has amazing atmosphere clean environment good Family oriented people of all ages and great techniques from World class fighters and coaches”
Other martial arts here
“He is a BJJ Black Belt who is also one of the best striking coaches in the world (he is the coach of a professional kickboxing world champion).”
“He is a BJJ Black Belt who is also one of the best striking coaches in the world (he is the coach of a professional kickboxing world champion).”
“Everyone is super friendly and inclusive and wants you to succeed in your goals wether it is to train for your next mma match or just to lose some weight.”
“This Gym is the real deal, the head coach is a real MMA fighter and a Brazilian Jiu jitsu, Judo Black belt.”
What members say
“Professor Plinio and Professor Thiago are the best instructors I’ve had in a long time.”
“Just finished up my first session, one of the most professional and helpful people I’ve met, Wasn’t too sure about joining but they make you feel like family immediately.”
“This place has amazing atmosphere clean environment good Family oriented people of all ages and great techniques from World class fighters and coaches”
“This place has amazing atmosphere clean environment good Family oriented people of all ages and great techniques from World class fighters and coaches”
From the reviews
I have been a member of CruzMMA for about 2 weeks now and my experience has been nothing short of amazing. All instructors are clear and concise with instructions. It is a competitive environment but everyone at the gym is nice and truly cares about each other.
This Gym is the real deal, the head coach is a real MMA fighter and a Brazilian Jiu jitsu, Judo Black belt. I have lost 50lbs since joined and have learned a lot from Cruz MMA. All courses are included in fee, unlike other schools who charge separate for BJJ, MMA & Kickboxing. Highly recommend. Cheers
Coach Plinio Cruz is a goat he gave me free training sessions and I got to meet my favorite ufc fighter Alex Poatan Pereira and former lhw champ glover these guys were amazing and I look forward to watching more of Alex pereira fights CHAMA🗿
Amazing school with a great coach! Everyone is super friendly and inclusive and wants you to succeed in your goals wether it is to train for your next mma match or just to lose some weight. The classes are fun and intense!
New to muay thai? Start at Cruz Mixed Martial Arts Academy
Cruz Mixed Martial Arts Academy comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. 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.
Your first muay thai class at Cruz Mixed Martial Arts Academy
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.
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