Best BJJ Gyms in Melbourne, Ranked by Reddit

Two gyms appear in nearly every “where to train in Melbourne” thread: Absolute MMA St Kilda and de Been 100% Jiu Jitsu. Below them, Dominance MMA, 10th Planet South Melbourne, and Immersion are the names with consistent positive sentiment. This ranking counts Reddit appearances, records sentiment, and quotes the posts directly so you can skip the thread-reading.

At a glance

Many gyms share the same 8-mention count because they appear together in the same Reddit threads. The positive/negative split is what separates them.

St Kilda and South Melbourne

This stretch holds the highest Reddit density for Melbourne BJJ. Three gyms within a couple of kilometres account for the majority of named recommendations.

Absolute MMA St Kilda

Absolute is the gym that leads almost every Melbourne BJJ thread. Lachlan Giles and his wife coach here; the YouTube channel under the same name has built an international following that spills back into local reputation.

“Absolute MMA St Kilda is likely the most famous gym in Melbourne. Absolute has a good introduction program that will get you started with jiu jitsu before you start doing the bigger classes. Immersion has a good competition team and great instruction.” (source, 2019)

“For the best of the best No-Gi competition focus, go train at Absolute MMA St Kilda. Lachy and his wife are phenomenal” (source, 2022)

It also appears on Australian road trip shortlists for visiting grapplers: “Melbourne: Absolute MMA (St Kilda & CBD), Immersion Ringwood, Mustang Sports Centre” (source, 2022) and in an international bucket-list thread alongside gyms like Mjolnir in Iceland and Carpe Diem in Tokyo (source, 2024).

One drop-in story worth flagging: a traveller walked a long distance during a heatwave only to find no class running at that hour. Absolute does accept drop-ins, but confirm the schedule before arriving. (source, 2024)

8 Reddit mentions, 4 positive / 0 negative. St Kilda: Rear Level 2/30 Inkerman St. absolutemma.com.au. Drop-in: yes. Gi and no-gi. Full profile

Also: Collingwood at 134 Cromwell St (profile) and CBD at 136 Exhibition St (profile), both with drop-in.

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de Been 100% Jiu Jitsu

Peter de Been’s gym comes up specifically when people ask for a beginner-friendly or gi-inclusive alternative to Absolute’s no-gi competition environment.

“I lived in Melbourne for years, and trained at Peter de Beens in St Kilda. Very nice family atmosphere, great jiu jitsu, and a very beginner friendly program. They offer a good balance between No Gi and Gi. No real self defense / Gracie stuff. I started there because I was living in St Kilda and it was very convenient. I stuck around long enough to get my purple belt (4 years ago!) before I moved to the US for work.” (source, 2022)

One negative mention is recorded in the dataset but no specific critical quote accompanies it. The 6:1 positive-to-negative ratio and a multi-year student retention story are the cleaner signals.

8 Reddit mentions, 6 positive / 1 negative. Top Floor, 179 Barkly St, St Kilda. debeenjiujitsu.com. Drop-in: yes. Gi and no-gi. Tags: high level, beginner friendly, friendly atmosphere, open mat. Full profile

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10th Planet South Melbourne

Frank Barca’s gym runs the 10th Planet no-gi system in South Melbourne. It appears in Reddit threads specifically because of a ladies-only self-defence class and consistent ego-free commentary, which is unusual for a no-gi focused program.

“In regards to BJJ - 10th Planet South Melbourne has a ladies only self defence class… I have been attending this gym for over 2 years and the coaching staff and students are awesome, ego isn’t a problem. The first 3 classes are free if you want to try any classes on the timetable, just contact the coach ahead of time.” (source, 2023)

“Frank Barca, head instructor from 10p Melbourne, Australia. So positive and a great teacher too.” (source, 2023)

One negative mention in the dataset; no specific critical quote.

8 Reddit mentions, 5 positive / 1 negative. 1/216 Coventry St, South Melbourne. 10thplanetsouthmelbourne.com.au. Drop-in: check website. Gi and no-gi. Full profile

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Inner East: Abbotsford and Collingwood

Dominance MMA

Dominance runs three Melbourne locations under John Will, one of Australia’s most referenced BJJ coaches. The Abbotsford gym trains alongside MMA fighters and is walkable from Collingwood station.

“Dominance in Collingwood is great, mix of gi and nogi, absolute in Collingwood is also great but much more nogi focused and has a chunk of mma fighters in the class. Both are a walk from the Collingwood train station” (source, 2025)

“I used to be in Dominance (Abbotsford) and that was $60 for BJJ, MMA & Muay Thai unlimited classes.” (source, 2024)

“John Will is an absolute legend coach. He’s got a few clubs across Melbourne and I’d look into Dominance BJJ. Absolute legends there and several locations across Melbourne.” (source, 2023)

The directory lists Abbotsford as no-gi focused; the 2025 quote describes a gi/no-gi mix. Confirm at signup. Pricing referenced above is from 2024 and may have changed.

8 Reddit mentions, 5 positive / 0 negative. Abbotsford: 9 Harper St. dominance.com.au. Drop-in: yes. Full profile

Also: Bentleigh at 934 North Rd (profile) and Thomastown at 296 Wolseley Pl with drop-in (profile).

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Jean Jacques Machado Jiu Jitsu Melbourne

JJM sits on Hoddle St in Abbotsford. One direct recommendation in a Melbourne r/melbourne thread:

“Come learn Jiu Jitsu buddy, will help build your self confidence back. Not sure which area you’re in, but most clubs offer a free trial. I train at JJM Melbourne in Abbotsford, its a great bunch of people.” (source, 2024)

8 Reddit mentions, 5 positive / 1 negative. 96A Hoddle St, Abbotsford. jjmmelbourne.com. Drop-in: yes. Gi. Full profile

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Melbourne Budo Academy

Also on Hoddle St. Reddit comments describe it as explicitly hobbyist-focused, cheaper than the bigger gyms, with judo and Aikido alongside BJJ.

“Melbourne budo Academy also offers bjj as well as judo which is rad fun. Bjj is run by two purple belts and I think it’s cheaper than the other two gyms. Greg and Costa are both nice dudes.” (source, 2025)

“I think we have the exact kind of vibe you’re describing. We’re mostly just hobbyists that do some competing and are just looking to all get better together.” (source, 2024)

The BJJ program is purple belt led, not black belt. Worth noting if belt progression pace matters to you.

8 Reddit mentions, 5 positive / 1 negative. Level 1/96A Hoddle St, Abbotsford. melbournebudo.com.au. Drop-in: check website. Gi. Full profile

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Eastern Suburbs

Immersion MMA

Immersion has two east-of-CBD locations and appears on the same road-trip shortlists as Absolute MMA. It also surfaced in an international bucket-list gyms thread, which suggests sustained competition credibility.

“Melbourne: Absolute MMA (St Kilda & CBD), Immersion Ringwood, Mustang Sports Centre” (source, 2022)

“Immersion has a good competition team and great instruction.” (source, 2019)

Two enthusiastic quotes from 2013 describe the gym as “so much fun, such great people” with strong female open-guard players - treat those with the caveat that over a decade has passed, though the more recent mentions suggest the reputation has held.

5 Reddit mentions, 3 positive / 0 negative. Ringwood: 60 Charter St (profile). Glen Waverley: 655C Waverley Rd (profile). immersionmma.com.au. Drop-in: yes. Gi and no-gi.

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CBD

Melbourne Fight Club

Referenced specifically in a 2023 Melbourne subreddit thread for newcomers looking for a welcoming entry into martial arts, including BJJ.

“Melbourne Fight Club has a range of martial art classes (including boxing and BJJ) you can try until you find a discipline you like the most. The people there were incredibly kind and supportive - I have very fond memories of the place.” (source, 2023)

3 Reddit mentions, 1 positive / 0 negative. 9&10/367 Flinders St, CBD. melbmartialarts.com.au. Drop-in: yes. Gi and no-gi. Full profile

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More gyms in the directory

These gyms appear in the Reddit data or directory but without enough direct quotes to rank:

• Mustang BJJ Australia (15 Berrima St, Oakleigh East): named in the Aussie road trip comment alongside Absolute and Immersion. Drop-in accepted. profile
• Carlson Gracie Melbourne (9 Duke St, Windsor): drop-in accepted, gi and no-gi. profile
• Flow State BJJ (25/107 Wells Rd, Seaford): drop-in, gi and no-gi, site competition score 66. profile
• Complete MMA Coolaroo (1/15 Motto Dr): highest site competition score in the north at 65, drop-in, gi and no-gi. profile
• Fusion Martial Arts (4a Campbell St): highest site competition score in the directory at 82, no drop-in listed. profile
• 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Melbourne (190b Sussex St): sister location to South Melbourne, same reddit mention pool. profile

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Best for you

Visiting and dropping in: Absolute MMA St Kilda is the name locals give every passing grappler. The CBD location on Exhibition St works if you are staying centrally. Confirm class times before travelling, no-gi classes in particular run on a set schedule.

New to BJJ: de Been 100% Jiu Jitsu was described directly as “very beginner friendly” with a structured intro path and gi/no-gi balance. Absolute also runs an intro program before students join regular classes.

Competition focus: Absolute MMA St Kilda for no-gi. Immersion MMA for eastern suburbs competitors. Both appear on inter-city road trip lists from experienced grapplers.

Budget: Dominance MMA Abbotsford was priced at $60 per week for unlimited BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai as of 2024. Verify current pricing directly.

Women’s program: 10th Planet South Melbourne runs a dedicated ladies self-defence class with consistent two-year positive feedback, and three free trial classes to start.

Hobbyist, lower-pressure environment: Melbourne Budo Academy in Abbotsford, specifically described as hobbyist-first with cross-training in judo at a lower price point than the bigger gyms.

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Browse all Melbourne BJJ gyms on the Melbourne gym directory.

Methodology: Reddit mentions scraped from r/bjj, r/melbourne, and related subreddits across threads referencing Melbourne gyms; 65+ gym listings identified in the Melbourne metro area, sentiment scored per individual mention. Data updates over time.