5875 Hwy 7 #4, Woodbridge, ON L4L 1T9, Canada
Welcome to Matador MMA – The premier academy for martial arts in Woodbridge, Ontario and best jiu jitsu in Woodbridge. Our martial arts academy in...
Reviews from Jiu-Jitsu Blog members who have trained at Matador MMA & BJJ Academy. Member recommendations raise an academy's Jiu-Jitsu Blog Score.
Matador Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Academy excels in the discipline of Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Boxing and MMA. What sets this place apart is its friendly environment and students who respect each other and help each other get better, its administration Colleen such a caring individual and finally the owner Lisa who is an amazing enthusiast of the sport and a good judge but I think my review would be incomplete if I did not talk about what makes this place great, above all else, the greatness of a MMA academy is because of its students but also because of its instructors. Matador MMA is blessed to have an elite instructor cohort which has an active presence in competitive MMA spheres; starting with Professor Pavel who was the silver medalist for Ontario Open Jiu Jitsu championships in May 2026, followed by Coach Naz who won the Mayhem Fight Promotions Boxing Championship also in May 2026 followed up by Coach Anastasia who won her ONE championship fight in Thailand in July 2026. Prof. Dane, Coach Xavier and Coach Alex train the young Muay Thai fighters who go and win new competitions and belt levels, Coach Alex gives his all to little ones learning the techniques and giving them confidence to be better day in and day out... and finally the one and only Coach Ivan who trains the kids and adults of this club, a man of monumental stature and one whose leadership in the octagon and on the mats keeps churning out warriors. For those parents whose kids train at Matador MMA could not be more thankful to have a cohort of teachers who give their all to give life skills to our children, for that we are ever thankful to them. Matador is the place if you want yourself and/or your kids excelling in life as the discipline learnt here goes a long way in their daily lives and education. I am so thankful to the Matador community and wish them much more success in years to come God-willing.
Highly recommended MMA Gym to learn different fighting styles and to have fun. I started in early July and trained under Coach Anastasia for MMA. She was very welcoming and patient with me even though everyone else was ahead. She taught me the techniques and corrected me when needed which helped me understand and execute moves better during sparring. Got a nickname as well which was pretty cool. I had a fun time learning and really enjoyed sparring even though we were gassed out by the end of it. The other trainees gave me tips as well and helped me improve my fighting IQ. I enjoyed my time there and definitely felt that this was one of the best experiences I've had. I was treated like their own and was included in everything we did. I can for sure say that compared to the beginning and now. There is a BIG difference in my fighting ability and I hope to return soon.
From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted by a welcoming, supportive atmosphere. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely invested in helping you reach your goals—whether you’re training for competition or just looking to improve your fitness. The members are friendly and encouraging, making it feel like a true community rather than just a place to work out. The environment is hard-working and motivating, with everyone pushing themselves while still looking out for one another. Every session leaves you feeling challenged, accomplished, and eager to come back. I usually train in the morning with Coach Anastasia, and I absolutely love her! I have learned so much and get so excited for her classes.
I have been a member of Matador gym now for just over a year. My experience as a member has been amazing. From the first class I attended I was openly welcomed and felt like part of the Matador team and family. It is ran professionally and with great integrity from the minute you walk in the door by the administrative team , coaches, professors and even fellow teammates. I’m developing new skills as well as self confidence to defend myself. I highly recommend this club to everyone kids, adults men and especially women.
best gym of the GTA, the best coaches, they have so much patience, they teach the technique properly and also prepare you for the fights by giving you all the support needed. The team is like a family and we all help each other getting better and better. I would highly recommend this gym to everyone! 🤗
After deciding to leave this gym, I was charged for the month after I had already confirmed my cancellation, I was also assured before I left that I wouldn’t be charged. When I called to have it resolved, I was assured it would be taken care of. It’s now been over six months since that charge, and I still haven’t received my refund. I’ve called so many times I’ve lost count, and every time I get the same excuse: “We use an external company, I’ll reach out to them.” I’m always told I’ll get a follow-up within a day or two, but no one ever calls back. At this point, I’ve given up and accepted the loss, which is unfortunate because the membership isn’t cheap. That said, I do want to mention that the coaches at the gym are good.
Posted 1 year ago
EDIT: I just saw an entire review posted after mine saying everything that happened to me was false. It seems like they contact regular attendees to save face - which they care about much more than any sort of truth and taking criticism. Absolutely unbelievable. My reply to the owner’s response: I stand by what I wrote and I know I heard foul language and everything else I described. My father was in the room and can back up this claim. Additionally, the fact that I was smiling at some points during the class has nothing to do with me sharing my personal experiences and does not discredit my words in any way. --- Horrible experience. I went to the free trial class hosted by coach Anastasia on July 2nd and was deeply uncomfortable. For context, I am a teen girl who has not been to any martial arts gyms before. First of all, the atmosphere seemed hostile due to there being some swearing at the students. I wasn’t sworn at directly but there were times where I heard Anastasia use swear words toward a group of students instead of saying things politely. Secondly, my boundaries were not respected at all. At one point an exercise involving guard pose was introduced. I didn’t want to do it. After the demonstration, Anastasia pulled aside me and another newbie (who was an adult male) and abruptly told me to get on the floor. Then, she told that other student, “get in her.” I quickly stood up and directly and clearly stated I did not want to do this exercise. After I said this, Anastasia told me I was going to have to get comfortable. She was incredibly persistent in trying to change my mind and did not seem to want to take my clear “no” for an answer. There were other times my boundaries weren't respected. Anastasia told me that with self defence it’s important to know how to handle being punched, grabbed, etc. However as she said these things, she actually punched me in the chest, and put her arms around my core tightly to showcase grabbing. I told her to not touch me. Again, she told me I was going to have to get comfortable. But this was definitely unnecessary - the touch was not to demonstrate an exercise. She continued with this unnecessary physical touch throughout the class at least 1-2 more times, ignoring my boundary. Lastly, near the end of the class, Anastasia told me to come back for more lessons several times in a highly insistent manner. She said it didn’t matter which gym I went to so I had to sign up to this one right now. She again went on with pressuring me to get comfortable quickly, all because I refused to do that single exercise from earlier. This persistence and urgency to sign up was suspicious. Stay far away from this gym.
Easily one of the worst gyms I’ve ever dealt with. They overcharged me, refused to process my cancellation, and wasted months of my time with fake promises about a refund that never came. The front desk staff flat-out lied to me repeatedly, saying “you’ll get your money back soon” — but it was all talk, no action. On top of their shady business practices, the actual facility is a joke. The “change room” is so small it’s basically nonexistent — no space, no comfort, and definitely not worth the membership fees they’re scamming people out of. Between the dishonesty, the lack of professionalism, and the terrible setup, this place should be avoided at all costs.
Posted 1 year ago
The Lab MMA Academy
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