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Every range. One complete fighter.

Mixed Martial Arts in Hendersonville, TN

The complete combat system. Learn to strike, wrestle, and grapple in one program built for total beginners and future competitors alike.

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A Furst Place MMA fighter controlling an opponent on the ground during a cage fight
The Discipline

What is Mixed Martial Arts?

Mixed Martial Arts is the complete combat system, the place where every range of a real fight finally connects. At Furst Place MMA, the Mixed Martial Arts gym in Hendersonville, TN, you learn striking with boxing hands, kicks, knees, and elbows, the clinch, wrestling takedowns, and the No-Gi Jiu Jitsu ground game, all integrated into one fluid skill set. Nothing here is taught in isolation. You learn how a jab sets up a takedown, how a takedown leads to top control, and how control leads to a finish, so the whole system makes sense instead of feeling like four separate hobbies.

If you have never thrown a punch or shot a takedown in your life, you are exactly who this program is built for. Most people who walk through our doors in Hendersonville and across Sumner County start with zero experience, and our beginner on-ramp meets you right there. Coaches break every movement down step by step, drilling comes before anything live, and sparring is always controlled, optional, and earned. This is a no-ego room where day-one beginners train beside seasoned competitors and everyone leaves better.

Whether your goal is real self-defense, the best full-body conditioning of your life, or a genuine path toward an amateur cage fight, Mixed Martial Arts gives you all of it under one roof. For anyone searching for a beginner-friendly Mixed Martial Arts gym near Hendersonville or the greater Nashville area, your first class is completely free with no contract and no pressure. Come see the room, meet the coaches, and put in a round. Most people who try it come back.

Who It's For
  • Complete Beginners Start with the fundamentals at your own pace, coached by people who remember being nervous on day one.
  • Fitness Seekers Burn fat and build a real engine. One hard round out-trains any treadmill in Hendersonville.
  • Aspiring Competitors Get a structured path from your first class toward your first amateur fight, with coaches in your corner.
Your First Class

What to expect when you walk in

No experience needed, and your first class is free. Here is exactly how a session goes.

  1. 01

    Arrive early and warm up

    Show up about ten minutes before class so a coach can say hello, learn your name, and walk you through the basics of the room. We start every session with a guided warm-up that loosens the joints, raises the heart rate, and teaches the foundational movements you will use all night. You set the pace, and nobody expects you to keep up with the veterans on day one.

  2. 02

    Learn the technique of the day

    A coach demonstrates the focus of the class, whether it is a boxing combination, a takedown entry, a guard pass, or how one range flows into the next. Everything is broken into small, repeatable pieces and explained in plain language. You will understand the why behind each movement, not just the how, so the technique actually sticks.

  3. 03

    Drill with a partner

    You pair up and practice the technique at a slow, cooperative pace with a supportive partner who is there to help you learn, not to win. This is where the reps add up and the movement starts to feel natural. Coaches move around the room giving small corrections, and you can ask questions any time you want.

  4. 04

    Optional sparring and what to wear

    Live, controlled sparring only happens once you and your coach agree you are ready, often weeks or months in, never on your first day. For that first class, just bring athletic clothes you can move in, a water bottle, and an open mind. We will point you toward gloves, mouthpiece, and other gear once you decide to keep training, so there is nothing to buy before you start.

In Class

What you'll train

  • 01 Stand-up striking: boxing hands, kicks, knees, and elbows
  • 02 The clinch: control, off-balancing, and dirty boxing
  • 03 Takedowns and takedown defense from wrestling
  • 04 Ground control, positional escapes, and submissions
  • 05 Live, controlled sparring once you are ready
Why Train It

What you'll gain

  • Real, well-rounded self-defense
  • Elite full-body conditioning
  • A no-ego training room
  • A clear path to compete
See Mixed Martial Arts class times

Led by head coach Iron Mike, a Marine Corps veteran with six years coaching fighters.

Go Deeper

Explore Mixed Martial Arts

The questions and ideas behind the discipline, so you know what you are stepping into.

How the ranges connect into one system

Real fights move through distinct ranges: striking at a distance, the clinch up close, takedowns to change levels, and the ground game once it hits the mat. Mixed Martial Arts is the art of stitching those ranges into one seamless system instead of treating them as separate sports. At Furst Place MMA you learn the transitions that link them, like using strikes to set up a takedown or recovering your footing to get back to striking, so you are never lost no matter where the action goes.

The beginner on-ramp and staying safe

The fastest way to quit any martial art is to get thrown into chaos on day one, so we do the opposite. Our beginner on-ramp introduces fundamentals in a logical order, with technique and cooperative drilling long before anything live. Sparring is controlled, optional, and earned, and coaches scale every round to the experience in front of them. You build real skill and confidence at a pace that protects your body and your nerves.

Striking versus grappling and why you need both

A pure striker is in trouble the moment a fight goes to the clinch or the ground, and a pure grappler can struggle to close the distance against someone who can hit. Mixed Martial Arts exists because no single skill is complete on its own. Training both striking and grappling, plus the wrestling that decides where the fight happens, gives you the well-rounded ability to defend yourself and stay composed in any situation, standing or on the mat.

The path to amateur competition

Not everyone wants to compete, and that is completely fine, but for those who do, Mixed Martial Arts at Furst Place MMA offers a clear path from your very first class toward your first amateur cage fight. Coaches help you build a complete game, sharpen it in increasingly live training, and prepare you mentally and physically when the time is right. You set the goal, and you will have experienced corners guiding every step of the way.

In the Neighborhood

Mixed Martial Arts in Hendersonville & the Nashville area

Furst Place MMA trains Mixed Martial Arts at 122 Taylor Industrial Blvd in Hendersonville, TN, just off the shores of Old Hickory Lake, welcoming beginners and competitors from across Sumner County and the greater Nashville area. Call (615) 495-8560 to claim your free first class.

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Address
122 Taylor Industrial Blvd
Hendersonville, TN 37075
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Call or text (615) 495-8560
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Questions

Mixed Martial Arts, answered

Do I need any experience to start Mixed Martial Arts?
None at all. Most members at our Mixed Martial Arts gym in Hendersonville walk in with zero experience. Our beginner on-ramp teaches every movement step by step, drilling comes before anything live, and you are never forced into sparring before you are ready. Your first class is free with no contract, so you can simply come try it.
What should I wear and bring to my first class?
Just athletic clothes you can move and sweat in, plus a water bottle and an open mind. There is nothing to buy before you start. Once you decide to keep training, we will guide you on gloves, a mouthpiece, and the rest of the gear you will eventually want.
How much does it cost to try Mixed Martial Arts?
Your first class is completely free, with no contract and no pressure to sign up. It is the best way to see the room, meet the coaches, and feel the training for yourself. For current membership pricing, just call us at (615) 495-8560 and we will walk you through the options.
Is Mixed Martial Arts good for self-defense, and will I get hurt learning it?
Mixed Martial Arts is one of the most complete forms of self-defense because it covers striking, the clinch, takedowns, and the ground game in one system. Safety comes first while you learn. Early classes are movement, technique, and controlled partner drilling, and live sparring is optional and only happens once you and your coach agree you are prepared.
Where is your Mixed Martial Arts gym, and do you serve the Nashville area?
We are located at 122 Taylor Industrial Blvd in Hendersonville, TN 37075, and we proudly train people from across Sumner County and the greater Nashville area. Members regularly come from Gallatin, Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, White House, and Portland. If you are searching for Mixed Martial Arts near you in the Hendersonville area, we are easy to reach.
Can I work up to an amateur fight if I want to compete?
Absolutely. We offer a clear path from your first class toward your first amateur cage fight for anyone who wants it. Coaches help you build a complete game, sharpen it in live training, and prepare you when the time is right. Competing is always your choice, and plenty of members train purely for fitness and self-defense instead.
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Claim a Free Trial Class Call (615) 495-8560