Featured affiliated academy: Ronin de Mexico BJJ
Where is the gym located?
Ronin de Mexico BJJ is located very close to Mariachi Plaza in Garibaldi, the historic downtown of CDMX (Ciudad de México, aka. Mexico City).
How many people train there?
It depends on the day and the season. Approximately 10-15 people per class.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
It also really depends on the season. People come and go. We’re a small team, but with a long tradition in the city.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
From complete beginner to black. The majority are blue and purple belts.
When did the gym open?
Ronin de Mexico started back in 2005.
Some facts about you:
Name: Miguel Angel Cortes Oliva “Thrasher”
Age: 53
Academy: Ronin de Mexico BJJ
Belt: Four-stripe brown belt
Profession: Musician , promoter, producer
Years in BJJ: 14 years
Other martial arts: Grappling, MMA
Currently living in: Mexico City, also known as CDMX
Originally from: I’m a local born in Tenochtitlan (the ancient name for CDMX)
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
It’s a long story! Back in 2004, when I was 38 years old, I went looking for Aikido classes, but a friend told me about BJJ instead. At that point there was only one BJJ dojo in CDMX, and it was very expensive. I went anyway. The classes were usually taught by a blue belt, since the sensei (a purple belt) was travelling very often so I hardly ever actually got to take any classes from him. Then I travelled to Japan and trained at Axis BJJ. It was also very expensive, so I was only able to attend once a week.
When I got back home, me and some other friends started trying to find some space where we could train and roll more, and I came up with the idea of renting a small room. We used some tatami mats from another friend who taught Aikido. Lots of people came on the weekends to roll with us; people from other schools, but in secret, since in those days you were forbidden to do that because of the CREONTE THING (that’s how the name “Ronin” first came to mind). I started to run grappling classes, and that eventually lead to the opportunity for some different affiliations. In the end, we decided to split, and some friends ended up running two separate academies in the same building on the same floor as me. Between the three academies, we were visited by some great teachers and champions, including Ratinho, Felipe Costa, Casquinha, Royce Gracie, Terere, Cobrinha, Jeff Monson, Durinho, Davi Ramos, Marcelo Garcia, and a few others.
Then the building was sold, so we had to move and now we’re very close to downtown.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Most of my students are people over 30 who live or work far away, in and around the CDMX area. They often have a low budget, so they can’t afford to pay most of the other dojos’ fees. We run self-defense classes, and from that more girls have started taking regular BJJ classes with us now too.
Why do they train?
Most of them are into BJJ because it teaches many things that they can use in real life. Things like discipline, health, self defence, and managing their egos; all the positive things that BJJ offers besides camaraderie and friendship.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
Most of the other academies in the city are trying to compete with each other. Not so in our case. We’re not aiming to grow into a huge group – you know, quality not quantity. The main challenge is to manage your own demons, and of course have enough students to pay the rent haha!
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
It’s growing slowly but constantly. MMA is really prompting more people to start looking for some BJJ/grappling knowledge.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
We consider Ronin de Mexico BJJ as a social project more than a business gym. We preach self-management, mutual support, and solidarity. Another thing worth mentioning is that we’re able to open 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. We open on Sundays and holidays, and we’re a very friendly team. Everybody is welcome!
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Well, we’re just few steps from Garibaldi Plaza and the historic downtown (Zocalo) of CDMX. And there are lots of museums around, so you have plenty of options.
