Vaca BJJ & MMA

“Professor Vaca is a great jiu jitsu, MMA and self defense teacher. Professor Lucas is an amazing jiu jitsu teacher for any age and any level. They both are from Natal, RN, Brazil and practice/teach real traditional jiu jitsu. Always evolving their skills and teaching methods. This is the best academy you can choose in the Massachusetts/Connecticut area. ... My son just has been training a couple weeks now in the new little kids class. He's learning patience, listening skills and learning jiu jitsu techniques through ludic games.”

“Vaca BJJ is the place to be. As a woman who is pretty new to martial arts, it's important to me to feel welcome and supported, but also challenged and taken seriously. The instructors here are incredible - all have world class titles and decades of experience, but are also humble and so encouraging. Vaca does a great job meeting his students where they are and you can tell that he really cares about his students and what their goals are. The students here are also just as welcoming. Vaca has done an excellent job cultivating a positive environment to challenge yourself and grow.”

“Great gym, great coaches, great community. Everyone is warm and welcoming. The coaches are amazing, always helping you to get better, clearly communicating the little, important details involved in every technique. The schedule is also much better than any other gym I’ve seen in the area, it makes it difficult to find an excuse why you can’t find at least some time to go and train every week :)”

“Coach Vaca is a great trainer and has helped me elevate my game a lot. The Saturday open mat is awesome and a great opportunity to go against new and different competition. The early morning training is great before school or work. The evening GI followed by No GI can turn into a great 2 hour session. I would recommend Coach Vaca to any of my friends.”

“Vaca BJJ/ mma academy is top notch. The instructors are experienced and professional. I recently moved to the area and have trained at other schools near Boston, I’m grateful to have found a quality BJJ academy in West Springfield! If you’re thinking about trying BJJ this is the place you’re looking for. Such a positive experience!”