Chandler Karate

10/14/2026

For our mma students 📖

JOHN DANAHER SAYS MOST PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND MMA

A recent BJJEE article covered John Danaher’s argument that MMA isn’t simply boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai and jiu jitsu mixed together. He calls MMA a “transcendent sport,” because once all of those skills interact, they have to change.

I think this is something a lot of people online misunderstand, especially when discussing jiu jitsu in MMA.

Whenever a high level BJJ athlete struggles to use his jiu jitsu in the cage, people immediately say:

“See? Jiu jitsu doesn’t work.”

But that’s missing the point.

MMA jiu jitsu isn’t sport jiu jitsu with punches added.

MMA wrestling isn’t pure wrestling.

Even striking changes when the opponent can shoot underneath your punches.

When I worked with MMA fighters, the grappling had to match what that particular fighter needed. Sometimes the goal was finding the submission. Sometimes it was controlling somebody against the cage. Sometimes the most important grappling skill was simply getting back to your feet.

If you’re using grappling to escape the ground, you’re still using grappling.

Look at the evolution of MMA itself.

In the early UFC, we didn’t really have MMA fighters the way we understand them today. We had specialists fighting under MMA rules.

Royce Gracie brought jiu jitsu. Wrestlers brought wrestling. Kickboxers brought kickboxing.

By UFC 4, Keith Hackney was already showing some of that evolution against Royce. He sprawled on takedown attempts and used strikes to try to keep Royce from getting the fight he wanted. Royce eventually got him down and submitted him, but people were already developing answers to what had worked before.

Then grapplers developed answers to those answers.

That process continued for decades.

Today we have athletes who can start directly in MMA. They’re learning striking, takedowns, cage wrestling, submissions and transitions as parts of one game.

That’s why I think Danaher’s description makes so much sense.

In the early UFC, we watched specialists trying to impose their martial art under MMA rules. Today we’re watching athletes who have learned MMA as its own martial art.

That doesn’t mean jiu jitsu stopped working.

It means MMA evolved.

And every martial art that enters the cage has to evolve with it.

Do you consider MMA its own martial art now, or is it still a combination of other martial arts?

10/07/2026

Events coming up at Chandler Karate 🥋

Oct 1st-Dec 1st: Annual Town Food Drive

Every year we ask students and their families to bring to the school any dry food donation they can to help families in the town that need it. Each year our students truly show out and deliver in waves. We hope to continue this tradition and help give back!

Friday, October 30th - Halloween Movie Night
6pm-8pm showing: Hotel Transylvania

November 11th - Veterans Day (Closed)

November 25-27th - Thanksgiving (Closed)

December 18th - Christmas Family Movie Night
5pm-8pm showing: TBD

***T-shirts orders going on now! Order form is at the front of the school, available during class times

**********Competitions for Karate and for Kickboxing/MMA students will start back at the first of the year (February/March)

Students - train hard through the holidays a keep yourself prepared to compete or be tested!

10/07/2026

Our guys put in a lot of effort and we’re very proud!

09/24/2026

Come check us out any Monday or Wednesday from 5-8pm

09/15/2026

Still would love to see more sign up for this;

It’s guaranteed study time and classes are included! 🥋 🥊

Want to see all our students work their minds just as much as their bodies!!

09/01/2026

Honea Path and surrounding areas!

I have been asked by a couple of families this past week - if we offer any Saturday classes for MMA:

Currently at this time, we do not (we used to, but the demand was not there)

However, not widely known, we offer kickboxing and MMA training every Monday and Wednesday from 5-8pm. We would love to see our enrollment in these days grow, and potentially look at opening back up on Saturdays for extended training.

Also, little known fact, we now offer afterschool tutoring each weekday, for all ages. 😊

If you are interested in what we offer and would like to know more - reach out through Facebook, text (864-378-7774), or just stop by our school any weeknight.

I highly recommend as my students progress and age, that they try all we have to offer, and if the goal is to be a complete, well rounded, disciplined martial artist - then humbly I will tell any who ask - you’ve come to right place at Chandler Karate 🥋

08/26/2026

08/14/2026

It still blows my mind to think about how far we’ve come since starting almost six years ago. I don’t know if the surrealism of it will ever go away. What started with only a handful of students, has now turned into an enrollment of over 50 students.

And even though it says “Chandler” on everything, if it wasn’t for the families that trust and believe in our program, and who spread our good word, we wouldn’t be where we are today. I get so many calls from people who were recommended through other families who are currently or have taken classes previously.

I cannot thank those enough who have helped this school on its journey. God has blessed me in so many ways, and with each person who has come through my door to learn, we continue each week teaching and helping many grow, not only as martial artists, but as people.

I’m not a businessman, I’m a teacher, and I don’t sell or teach bologna. What we offer helps people of all ages become more confident versions of themselves, and that will always be our mission.

To all who have helped us to grow, sincerely, thank you 👊

08/10/2026