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Indiana's jiu jitsu roots run through a gym in Greenwood, just south of Indianapolis. In 2000, James Clingerman — a 4th-degree black belt under Brazilian master Anibal Braga and the 1999 Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Nationals champion — opened the Indiana Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy, the first full-time BJJ school in the state to offer day and evening classes, kids programs, and a structured adult curriculum under one roof. That academy, now operating as IBJJA, became the institutional backbone of Central Indiana's early grappling culture and has produced competitors who've carried the lineage outward for over two decades.

Indianapolis is where most of the serious training is concentrated. IBJJA in Greenwood remains a reference point, but the Indianapolis metro has developed enough density that you can now find credible black belt instruction across multiple systems. Darrell "Bulldog" Smith — a 2nd-degree black belt and veteran of more than 40 professional MMA fights, including wins over UFC and WEC alumni — built Bulldog Jiu-Jitsu Academy Indianapolis into one of the city's competition-focused options, drawing athletes who want mat time with someone who has actually been tested at that level. American Top Team of Indianapolis brings the ATT brand into the market for those wanting MMA-integrated grappling. Marcello C. Monteiro, an Indianapolis-based black belt from Brazil, runs a smaller academy recognized for technical depth in guard and half-guard systems. Bright Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, with instructor Levi Bata, rounds out the options for practitioners in the metro who want a more structured, fundamentals-heavy environment.

Fort Wayne is the other city worth knowing. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Fort Wayne — a Level 4 Certified Training Center under Chet Schemahorn, a 4th-degree black belt, and assisted by black belt Jeremiah Jackson — anchors the northeast corner of the state. The Gracie Certified designation matters here: it signals that the curriculum runs through the official Gracie University structure, which skews toward self-defense fundamentals before sport application. That makes Fort Wayne a particularly good landing spot for adults who are starting from scratch. The Pedro Sauer lineage also has a foothold in Indiana through Gracie Jiu Jitsu of Indiana, where Richard VanHook — a Sauer black belt — has trained for nearly two decades under a system that traces directly to Rickson Gracie.

The tournament infrastructure in Indiana is more developed than most people expect. The Hoosier Open, held annually in the Indianapolis area, has been running since 2004 in partnership with Master Carlos "Caique" Elias and draws regional competitors from across the Midwest. The IBJJF also sanctions the Indianapolis International Open No-Gi Championship, which brings competitors from outside the state and raises the competitive ceiling. Sparta Muay Thai and MC Fitness & Submission Grappling add to the no-gi and submission-only options available to grapplers who train across disciplines.

The culture in Indiana leans practical over flashy. You'll find fewer affiliation politics here than in coastal markets — most gyms are small, instructor-owned operations where the head coach still takes every class. Drop-in is generally accepted at the larger schools if you reach out in advance. MatMade lists 159 gyms across Indiana, covering Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, and smaller cities throughout the state, so whether you're planted in one place or traveling through, finding consistent mat time is straightforward.

Indiana

BJJ & Martial Arts in Fishers, Indiana