BJJ in Portland

Portland is Oregon's BJJ capital and one of the more historically significant US cities for the sport. The defining institution is Straight Blast Gym (SBG) — Matt Thornton founded SBG International here, and its "aliveness" training philosophy became one of the foundational intellectual contributions to American BJJ. Rick Davison runs SBG Portland; SBG International also lists separately in the directory.

The breadth of the Portland roster is what distinguishes it from comparably sized Pacific Northwest cities. Impact Jiu Jitsu (Tony Gracia, 3rd-degree black belt and judo black belt) brings a rare dual-discipline pedigree. Renzo Gracie Portland (Aaron Milam, Rey Diogo / Danaher connection) covers the high-competition lineage tier. 10th Planet Portland (Phill Schwartz) handles the no-gi / submission-only corner. Brazilian Top Team has two Portland locations — NE Portland and Sellwood — and American Top Team Portland operates independently, giving the city both major Top Team affiliates simultaneously. Checkmat Portland operates out of nearby Troutdale. Gracie Humaita is represented by Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Portland and School of Budo. ENSO Jiu Jitsu publishes $130/mo adult BJJ, one of the city's few publicly visible price points. The independent bench — Oregon Grappling Arts, Eastside Grappling, Mata Leao Combat Sports, Northwest Fighting Arts, Team Quest MMA, and others — fills out a 25-academy roster that rewards exploration. Expect $130–$200/mo across the market.