BJJ Gym Affiliations: A Complete Guide to 7 Top Teams

Choosing a BJJ affiliation is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make as an academy owner, and one that's almost impossible to reverse cleanly. Your affiliation shapes your identity in the community, your ranking authority, your curriculum, your costs, and what you're allowed to call your gym.

Done right, affiliation gives you a recognized brand, a global training network, curriculum support, and a coach above you who can promote your students. Done wrong, it ties you to an organization that doesn't serve your goals, costs more than it returns, or limits your ability to run your business the way you want.

This guide breaks down the seven most significant BJJ affiliations operating in the United States: costs, requirements, and what gym owners actually receive. For the full picture on opening a gym, see the complete guide to starting a BJJ gym. For a cost-specific breakdown, see how much it costs to open a BJJ gym.

At a Glance: The Top 7 BJJ Affiliations

1. Gracie Barra

Founded: 1986 by Carlos Gracie Jr., Rio de Janeiro

Head of team: Carlos Gracie Jr.

US locations: 400+ (800+ worldwide)

Model: Formal franchise

Gracie Barra is the largest organized BJJ franchise in the world. With over 800 affiliated schools on six continents, the GB banner is the most recognizable brand in mainstream BJJ. In the US, Gracie Barra locations are in virtually every major market and many mid-size cities.

What the Affiliation Costs

Unlike most BJJ teams, Gracie Barra operates as a formal franchise. The full cost picture, drawn from Gracie Barra's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD):

• Franchise fee: Up to $8,000
• Total initial investment: $70,500–$223,500 (includes facility build-out, mats, equipment, uniforms, and operating capital)
• Ongoing royalties: 4–8% of gross revenue
• Marketing contribution: 1–3% of gross revenue
• Contract term: 5 years (renewable)
• Territory protection: Not offered

Total ongoing cost from royalties and marketing typically runs $500–$1,500+/month depending on revenue.

What You Get

• Use of the Gracie Barra name, logo, and brand
• Standardized curriculum across all GB schools worldwide
• Access to GB's instructor development programs
• Cross-training access, so your members can train at any GB school globally
• Marketing and promotional support through GB International
• Participation in GB competition teams and camps

Requirements

The head instructor must hold a black belt (typically under a GB instructor), meet GB's curriculum and branding standards, and complete GB's instructor development program. The school must use official GB gis.

Best For

Academy owners who want maximum brand recognition, a standardized curriculum, and the infrastructure of a large global organization, and who are comfortable operating under a franchise model with ongoing royalties and brand compliance requirements.

Considerations

Gracie Barra's franchise model provides strong structure but limits autonomy. Royalties reduce your margin, and the gi requirement is enforced. For an owner entering a competitive market where brand credibility matters, GB's name recognition is a genuine asset.

2. Alliance BJJ

Founded: 1993 by Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti, Fabio Gurgel, Alexandre Paiva, and Fernando Gurgel

Head of team: Fabio Gurgel

US locations: 100+

Model: Association

Alliance is widely considered one of the most competitive and respected BJJ teams in the world. Alliance-affiliated schools have produced more IBJJF World Champions than almost any other team, and the Alliance name carries significant weight in the competition community.

What the Affiliation Costs

Alliance does not publicly disclose its affiliation fees. Based on community reporting:

• Upfront fee: Approximately $4,000–$8,000 (varies by arrangement)
• Ongoing structure: Typically requires hosting and funding a minimum of two seminars per year with Alliance black belts. The gym covers instructor fees, travel, and accommodations.
• Gi requirement: Since 2015, official Alliance academies are required to use official Alliance gis in class

Specific terms are negotiated directly with Alliance leadership.

What You Get

• Use of the Alliance name and logo
• Ranking authority through the Alliance lineage
• Access to Alliance's global training network
• Competition team membership for major IBJJF and NAGA events
• Curriculum guidance and technique resources
• Seminars from Alliance black belts

Requirements

Lineage is the most critical requirement. Your instructor typically needs to have trained under an Alliance black belt. Alliance is selective, and acceptance isn't guaranteed regardless of rank. The relationship-building process often starts years before formal affiliation.

Best For

Instructors with Alliance lineage or strong connections to the Alliance network who want to compete at the highest levels under a world-class brand.

3. Checkmat

Founded: 2008 by Leo Vieira

Head of team: Leo Vieira

US locations: 100+, 200+ worldwide

Model: Association

Checkmat was founded in 2008 after a split from Alliance and quickly built a reputation as one of the most innovative and competition-focused teams in BJJ.

What the Affiliation Costs

Checkmat does not publicly list affiliation fees. The program is application-based with terms determined after an interview. Contact checkmatjiujitsu.com for current terms.

What You Get

• Support for program development and business development
• Access to a worldwide network of 200+ Checkmat professors
• Introductions to industry leaders and business service providers (uniforms, student management, website development)
• Access to official Checkmat merchandise
• Complimentary seminars and competition camps
• Official Checkmat branding rights

Checkmat explicitly emphasizes business support, connecting affiliate owners to gym management tools and business partners.

Requirements

Application, interview, and meeting Checkmat's criteria for academy ownership. Rank and lineage discussed in the interview process.

Best For

Instructors with Checkmat or Checkmat-connected lineage who want a strong competition-oriented team identity with active business development support.

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4. Pedigo Submission Fighting (Daisy Fresh)

Founded: 1997 by Heath Pedigo, Mount Vernon, Illinois

Head of team: Heath Pedigo (black belt under Rodrigo Vaghi)

US locations: 10+ affiliates (PSF Los Angeles, PSF Bloomington, Daisy Fresh NTX, and others)

Model: Association (relationship-based)

Pedigo Submission Fighting is the most culturally influential grassroots team in American BJJ. You probably know them as Daisy Fresh, named for the old laundromat in Mount Vernon, Illinois where Heath Pedigo built a world-class grappling program on a $500/month lease and sheer obsession. FloGrappling's documentary series Daisy Fresh: An American Jiu-Jitsu Story turned the team into one of the most recognized brands in the sport.

What makes PSF unusual is that its influence grew entirely from results and authenticity, not from a franchise fee or global marketing budget. Athletes including Andrew Wiltse and Jacob "Hillbilly Hammer" Couch trained to elite level in a converted laundromat and began beating world-class competitors. PSF has since moved to a purpose-built facility in Mount Vernon, with two floors of mat space, a strength and conditioning area, podcast studios, and athlete dorms, but the ethos remains: hard training, accountability, and a submission-first methodology.

What the Affiliation Costs

PSF does not publish affiliation fees. The model is relationship-based. You earn entry through demonstrated commitment to the PSF system and the grappling community. Jorge Valladares, one of the original Daisy Fresh members, was the first to open an official PSF affiliate school, which reflects how the process typically works: build the relationship over time, demonstrate alignment with PSF's values, then formalize.

Contact PSF directly through psflosangeles.com or PSF Mount Vernon headquarters for current terms.

What You Get

• Rights to operate under the PSF / Daisy Fresh banner, one of the most recognized names in modern grappling culture
• Connection to Heath Pedigo's technical system: submission-first grappling and high-intensity drilling
• Access to PSF's growing competitor network and event presence
• Cultural cachet: the Daisy Fresh brand carries significant organic reach through the FloGrappling documentary, YouTube, and social media
• Ranking through the PSF lineage (Heath Pedigo → Rodrigo Vaghi)
• Seminars and training opportunities with Heath Pedigo and PSF black belts

Requirements

Alignment with PSF's training culture is the primary qualifier. This isn't an affiliation you purchase. It's one you earn through demonstrated dedication and relationships within the PSF community. Competition experience and training history matter, but cultural fit matters equally.

Best For

Coaches who have trained within the PSF system or in alignment with its values, and who want to affiliate with a brand that resonates deeply with the modern grappling community, particularly the submission wrestling, no-gi, and ADCC-adjacent audience the Daisy Fresh documentary cultivated.

Considerations

PSF's affiliate network is still growing and smaller than Alliance or Checkmat. Brand recognition is extremely strong within the competitive grappling community but less so among general fitness consumers than Gracie Barra. If your target market is serious competitors and grappling-first practitioners, PSF's cultural alignment is a major asset.

5. 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu

Founded: 2003 by Eddie Bravo

Head of team: Eddie Bravo

US locations: 100+

Model: Association (relationship-based)

10th Planet is the most prominent no-gi BJJ system in the world and the only major affiliation built entirely around a proprietary technical system. Eddie Bravo's system, heavy on rubber guard, lockdown, and submission-chain sequences, is distinct enough that a 10th Planet affiliation signals a specific teaching philosophy, not just a team name.

10th Planet gyms don't use traditional BJJ belts. The system uses a different progression framework, and the lack of formal IBJJF affiliation is part of the brand identity.

What the Affiliation Costs

10th Planet does not publish official affiliation fees. The process is relationship-based. You build connections with existing 10th Planet instructors and the broader community over time. Contact 10thplanetjj.com for current affiliate requirements.

What You Get

• Rights to operate as an official 10th Planet affiliate
• Access to Eddie Bravo's no-gi curriculum and instructional resources
• The 10th Planet brand, one of the most recognizable names in no-gi BJJ
• Access to the global 10th Planet training network
• Seminars with Eddie Bravo and other 10th Planet black belts
• Community through 10th Planet's highly active online presence and events

Requirements

Mastery of the 10th Planet system is the core requirement. Applicants typically need to have trained extensively at a 10th Planet gym, demonstrate competition success using the system, and build relationships within the 10th Planet community.

Best For

Instructors whose training is primarily no-gi, who have trained extensively under 10th Planet coaches, and who want to build a gym around the 10th Planet system and community.

Considerations

10th Planet's non-traditional rank structure means students won't receive IBJJF-recognized belts. The brand appeals strongly to a specific demographic and may not have the same broad market recognition as Gracie Barra or Alliance outside the hardcore BJJ community.

6. SBG International (Straight Blast Gym)

Founded: 1992 by Matt Thornton, Portland, Oregon

Head of team: Matt Thornton

US locations: 40+, 60+ worldwide

Model: Membership-based affiliation (transparent pricing)

SBG is unique among major BJJ affiliations in two ways: it publishes its pricing openly, and it's built as much around a coaching philosophy as a competition lineage. Matt Thornton's "Aliveness" methodology, emphasizing functional, pressure-tested training over rote drilling, has shaped coaching culture across combat sports well beyond SBG's own walls.

SBG gyms typically offer BJJ, MMA, and Muay Thai under one roof, and the SBG coaching curriculum covers all three.

What the Affiliation Costs

SBG publishes three tiers:

SBG Gorilla Garage — $97/month or $1,048/year (fewer than 35 members)

• Ability to rank through SBG black belts worldwide
• Complete Foundations Curriculum with instructional videos
• Access to SBGU (video content on all aspects of combat sports)
• SBG Coaches Courses (Level 1 and 2)

SBG Affiliate Program — $247/month or $2,668/year (35+ members)

• Official use of the SBG brand
• All Gorilla Garage benefits
• 15% discount on SBG camps and events
• 15% discount on Growing Gorillas youth program
• Vendor equipment discounts
• Retail discounts through FujiSports
• Official SBG affiliate listing on StraightBlastGymInternational.com

SBG BizDev Program — $597/month or $5,600/year (35+ members, growth-focused)

• All Affiliate Program benefits
• 25% off camps and events for owner + 2 staff
• Starter Gym Accelerator
• SBGU business content (how to run every aspect of your academy)
• Monthly BizDev phone call
• Twice-yearly closed-door BizDev meetings
• Networking groups with other SBG gym owners
• Direct access to Matt Thornton and the SBG International coaching team

Best For

Gym owners who want transparent, tiered affiliation costs, active business development support, and a coaching methodology rooted in functional martial arts training. SBG is particularly strong for gyms combining BJJ with MMA and Muay Thai programming.

7. Gracie University Certified Training Centers (CTCs)

Founded: 2009 by Rener Gracie and Ryron Gracie, Torrance, CA

Heads of program: Rener Gracie and Ryron Gracie

Locations: 150+ globally

Model: Certified school program

Gracie University represents a distinct branch of the Gracie family tree, focused on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as a self-defense system rather than sport BJJ competition. Rener and Ryron Gracie, grandsons of Hélio Gracie, operate the Gracie University HQ in Torrance and certify schools worldwide to teach the GJJ curriculum.

What the Affiliation Costs

Gracie University CTC fees are not publicly listed. Contact gracieuniversity.com for current terms.

What You Get

• Certification to teach the official Gracie Jiu-Jitsu / Gracie Combatives curriculum
• Use of the Gracie University and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu branding
• Access to Gracie University's online instructional library (220,000+ students globally)
• Structured curriculum, particularly strong for beginners and self-defense programs
• Listing as an official Certified Training Center
• Participation in GU's global student network

Requirements

CTC owners must be certified in the Gracie Combatives curriculum and teach it as the foundational program.

Best For

Instructors who align with the Gracie self-defense philosophy and want to build a beginner- and family-focused curriculum. The GU CTC model is particularly effective for gyms targeting non-competitors, women's programs, and community self-defense markets.

Affiliated vs. Independent: The Real Tradeoffs

Arguments for affiliation

Ranking authority. If you're a purple or brown belt, you need someone above you to promote your students. An affiliation solves that problem cleanly and gives your promotions external legitimacy.

Brand recognition. In competitive markets, Gracie Barra, Alliance, and Checkmat names attract students who know what they mean.

Curriculum support. For new gym owners still developing their teaching structure, a defined curriculum is a meaningful asset.

Community and seminars. Access to high-level instruction from the broader team improves your own game and your students'.

Arguments for staying independent

Autonomy. You set your own curriculum, culture, and business terms. No royalties, no gi mandates, no style requirements.

Cost. Major affiliation fees, royalties, and mandatory seminars add up. For a lean operation, those costs can be the difference between profitable and marginal.

Identity. Many of the best gyms in the US are independent. Your gym's reputation is ultimately built by your coaching, your students, and your community, not your flag.

What Your Affiliation Doesn't Cover: Running the Business

Every affiliation on this list leaves the day-to-day business management to you. Billing, scheduling, member communication, retention, lead follow-up, rank tracking, payment recovery: these are your responsibilities regardless of what flag flies over your mat.

PushPress is the gym management platform used by more than 1,000 martial arts academies, including Checkmat gyms across the US.

Rank and belt tracking. Track stripes, belts, and promotions through any system: traditional gi, 10th Planet, or Gracie Combatives. Every promotion is logged and visible to students in the member app. Available in Core Pro and Max.

Billing and payment recovery. Automated recurring billing across unlimited membership types. Smart retry on failed payments recovers revenue that most gyms quietly lose to card declines. Available in the Core plan.

Lead conversion via PushPress Grow. Automated follow-up on every intro inquiry so no lead goes cold while you're on the mat coaching.

Member retention tools. At-risk alerts surface members trending toward churn before they cancel. See how the retention system works →

The member app. Students see their attendance, rank history, and billing under your gym's brand.

Your affiliation gives you a lineage and a community. Your software determines whether you can run a profitable gym. They're separate decisions, and the second one is entirely yours.

Book aPushPress demo for your martial arts gym →

FAQs: BJJ Gym Affiliations

Do I need an affiliation to open a BJJ gym?

No. Many successful independent BJJ academies operate without major team affiliations. However, if you're below black belt, you'll need access to a higher-ranked instructor for student promotions, which affiliation typically provides.

How much does a BJJ affiliation cost?

It varies significantly. Gracie Barra has a published initial investment of $70,500–$223,500 with ongoing royalties of 4–8% of gross revenue. SBG publishes tiered pricing from $97–$597/month. Most other major affiliations (Alliance, Checkmat, 10th Planet, Gracie University CTCs) don't publish fees publicly, and terms are negotiated based on the instructor's background and relationships.

What's the difference between a franchise and an association affiliation?

A franchise (like Gracie Barra) is a formal legal arrangement with a disclosed fee structure, brand standards, and ongoing royalties. An association affiliation (like Alliance, Checkmat, or SBG) is typically a relationship-based agreement, where costs vary, terms are less structured, and there's more flexibility but also more uncertainty.

Can I switch affiliations later?

Technically yes, but it's rarely clean. Changing affiliations can mean belt promotions aren't recognized by the new team, and there can be social friction within the community. Choosing carefully upfront is far easier than changing course.

What should I look for when choosing a BJJ affiliation?

Consider your lineage, your goals (competition vs. self-defense vs. community), the affiliation's market position in your area, the actual cost structure including seminars and ongoing fees, how much autonomy you'll have, and whether the people leading the organization are ones you want a long-term relationship with.

Does my affiliation affect which gym management software I can use?

No. All major BJJ affiliations are compatible with PushPress and other gym management platforms.