You're in the Valley. You've thought about jiu jitsu for years, maybe since a friend wouldn't shut up about it, maybe since your kid started coming home from school quieter than usual. And every time you looked up a Renzo Gracie school, the address said Hollywood, and the freeway at 6pm settled the argument.
That changed in September 2024. Renzo Gracie Evolution opened in Chatsworth, and the Renzo Gracie name got a lot closer to your house.
So the drive is no longer the excuse. Which leaves the real one: walking into a room full of people who know what they're doing, while you don't. Fair. Let's deal with that.
Short version: Renzo Gracie Evolution is our sister academy in Chatsworth, at 9745 Independence Ave. It opened September 14, 2024 under head instructor Professor Matt Villalobos and teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (gi and no-gi), Muay Thai, Hapkido and fitness classes led by head coach Mario, with programs for kids, teens and adults. If you're in the Valley, this is your Renzo Gracie school.
What is Renzo Gracie Chatsworth?
It's Renzo Gracie Evolution, our sister academy in the San Fernando Valley. It opened its doors on September 14, 2024, and it's the Renzo Gracie school for anyone who lives on the north side of the hill.
Same lineage as Hollywood. Same standard for how a class should run: technique taught in detail, drilled properly, then tested live. Searched "Renzo Gracie Chatsworth" and wondered if it's connected to us? It is. Different building, same family.
Who runs Renzo Gracie Evolution?
Professor Matt Villalobos is the head instructor. He's an experienced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor with a technical style and a welcoming room, and he built the program around personal growth and community rather than ego.
Why does that matter more than his technique? Because the head instructor sets the temperature of the whole room. Is it a place where a blue belt smashes the new guy to feel good about himself, or a place where he slows down and shows him the escape? Professor Matt runs the second kind. On day one, that matters more than any move you'll learn.
The fitness and weight-training side is run by head coach Mario. So if you want to get stronger for jiu jitsu, or just get stronger, that's under the same roof.
What do they teach in Chatsworth?
Four things: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Hapkido and fitness. All of them take beginners.
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in gi and no-gi, all levels: positional control, escapes, submissions and live rolling. Same art, same approach as our adult BJJ program in Hollywood.
- Muay Thai: striking, clinch and footwork. Punches, kicks, elbows and knees, and the defense that goes with them. If you want to see how we run a striking class, our Hollywood Muay Thai program is the model.
- Hapkido: a self-defense art built on joint locks, throws and strikes. We don't teach it in Hollywood, so if you've ever wanted a straight answer to "what do I do if someone grabs me," this is that class.
- Fitness and weight training with head coach Mario. Get stronger, get conditioned, hold up better in the last round.
Is Renzo Gracie Chatsworth good for beginners?
Yes. There are classes for kids, teens and adults, and every program takes people who've never trained a day in their life.
Here's what the first week usually looks like, at any of our schools. You show up early and nervous. Someone at the front shows you where to change. You spend the warm-up wondering if you're going to throw up (you won't). Then you learn one position, drill it with a partner who's been exactly where you are, and by the end you've done the thing you were scared of for years. Nobody's judging the new person, because everybody was the new person.
Out of shape? Older than you'd like? Never been in a fight? Look around any of our rooms and that's most of the people in it. Your first gi will feel stiff and strange for about a week. Then one morning it'll smell like it sat in the car overnight, and that's when you'll know you're in.
Bring your kid, bring your teenager, or come yourself.
Where is the Chatsworth school?
9745 Independence Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311. The school has its own site at renzogracieevolution.com for anything specific to Chatsworth.
Not sure which of our schools is closest, or which one fits your week? Ask us. We'll tell you straight which room you belong in, even if it's not this one.
The Valley has a Renzo Gracie school now
Hollywood is home base. Renzo Gracie East LA covers Commerce and the east side. And now Renzo Gracie Evolution covers the Valley. Three addresses, one way of doing things.
You've thought about it long enough. If Chatsworth is your school, head over to renzogracieevolution.com and get started. If Hollywood is closer, book a free first class and we'll see you on the mat.
Questions people ask
Is Renzo Gracie Evolution part of Renzo Gracie Los Angeles?
Yes. It's our sister academy in Chatsworth, under the same Renzo Gracie lineage as the Hollywood and Commerce schools. It opened September 14, 2024 with Professor Matt Villalobos as head instructor. Same standard for how a class runs, just on the Valley side of the hill.
What martial arts are taught at Renzo Gracie Chatsworth?
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in gi and no-gi for all levels, Muay Thai covering striking, clinch and footwork, and Hapkido for self-defense with joint locks and throws. There are also fitness and weight-training classes run by head coach Mario. Classes are offered for kids, teens and adults.
Who is the head instructor at Renzo Gracie Evolution?
Professor Matt Villalobos. He's an experienced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor known for a technical, detail-first style and a welcoming room, and he built the Chatsworth program around personal growth and community. Head coach Mario leads the fitness and weight-training side.
Where is Renzo Gracie Chatsworth and how do I start?
9745 Independence Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311. The school has its own website at renzogracieevolution.com for anything specific to that location. If Hollywood is closer for you, book a free first class at our main academy at 5203 Hollywood Blvd, no contract, and we'll get you on the mat.
Can my kid train at Renzo Gracie Evolution?
Yes. Chatsworth runs classes for kids and teens as well as adults. In our experience the shy kid and the kid who can't sit still both do well in a structured martial arts class, and both usually look like different people a few months in. Ask the school which class fits your child's age.
