The Combat Academy
The Combat Academy is a privately held martial arts academy in Hereford, UK, offering in-person instruction in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and K1 across age-segmented classes (children, women, masters, adults) and hosting the annual Hereford Open BJJ Championships. Founded in 2009 by Dave Coles, it serves individual community members with subscription and pay-per-lesson pricing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersHereford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Combat Academy does
The Combat Academy is a privately held martial arts academy headquartered in Hereford, United Kingdom, operating from a single training facility at Unit 24 Foley Trading Estate. Founded in 2009 by Dave Coles (a 4th degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, 5th Dan Judo Black Belt, and World Masters Champion), the academy delivers in-person instruction in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, and K1 kickboxing, with 14 staff and 4 active coaches. The Curriculum is segmented by age and demographic, including Tiny Taz classes for primary school children, women's-only self-defence/fitness sessions, Masters classes for practitioners over 40, and general adult programmes, plus premium private 1:1 and small group sessions.
The business operates on a mixed revenue model: pay-per-lesson attendance fees (£6 juniors, £10 adults with a free first lesson), monthly subscription memberships processed through the Coacha platform, Hereford Open BJJ Championships entry fees (£25-£50 per entrant depending on category), and equipment sales (gis, boxing gloves, MMA sparring kit). Distribution is walk-in only for regular classes with no advance booking, supported by a website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram presence, and Eventbrite for competition registration. The annual Hereford Open BJJ Championships, now in its 42nd edition since 2009 and held at thePoint4 sports hall (280 spectator capacity), functions as both a community event and a secondary revenue stream, run under IBJJF rules with Tatami Fightwear and Mat Hire UK as sponsors.
The Combat Academy is registered with the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), and the head coach serves as an IBJJF referee, providing institutional credibility within the UK BJJ competitive circuit. The business is founder-led with no disclosed external investment, no subsidiaries, and operates exclusively within England. Customer concentration is across individual consumer segments (children, women, masters, adults) with no enterprise or institutional accounts. Overall, the company is a stable, locally-scaled service business with strong instructor credentials, a recurring event ecosystem, and limited digital or geographic expansion to date.
The Combat Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Combat Academy
- Legal name
- The Combat Academy
- Website
- https://thecombatacademy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Combat Academy is a privately held martial arts academy in Hereford, UK, offering in-person instruction in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, and K1 across age-segmented classes (children, women, masters, adults) and hosting the annual Hereford Open BJJ Championships. Founded in 2009 by Dave Coles, it serves individual community members with subscription and pay-per-lesson pricing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Combat Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Martial Arts Training
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Grappling & Submission Arts Training (Judo, BJJ, Wrestling) (HSADADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Training (HSADADAD), Combat Sports Gyms (Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai) (HSADADAB), Combat Sports Gyms & Dojos (MMA, Boxing, Wrestling, Martial Arts) (MPAKAJAG)
Keywords
Where The Combat Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hereford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Combat Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Class Attendance Fees: Pay-per-lesson model: £6 per lesson for juniors and £10 for adults. First lesson is a free trial. Payments made at the start of each lesson or via monthly direct debit through Coacha app.
- Membership Subscriptions: Monthly advance payments via Coacha app direct debit. Various payment plans available including family discounts and full-time student discounts. Requires 7-10 working days for first payment clearance.
- Competition Entry Fees: Entry fees for the Hereford Open BJJ Championships: £35 for Gi, £35 for NoGi, £50 for combined Gi & NoGi. Junior events priced at £25. Standard entry £35, reserve/late entry £40.
- Equipment Sales: Sale of martial arts equipment including Jiu Jitsu uniforms (gis), boxing gloves, and MMA sparring kit through the club.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-per-lesson for juniors |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pay-per-lesson for adults |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly membership subscription |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gi competition entry |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | NoGi competition entry |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Combined Gi and NoGi entry |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Junior competition entry |
| Subscription | Monthly | Family and student discounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Combat Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Combat Academy provides in-person martial arts instruction in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, and K1 kickboxing at its Hereford facility. It serves a diverse range of students through age-segmented programs including Tiny Taz for primary school children, women-only self-defence classes, and a Masters class for adults over 40, alongside private 1:1 and small group sessions. The academy also hosts the annual Hereford Open Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships under IBJJF rules.
Product overview
The Combat Academy operates as a martial arts training facility offering structured programs across multiple disciplines. Core offerings include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, and K1 kickboxing for adults. The academy provides age-specific programming including Tiny Taz for primary school children and Masters classes for practitioners over 40. Specialized offerings include women's self-defence/fitness classes. Premium services comprise private 1:1 and small group sessions. The academy also hosts the Hereford Open, an annual BJJ competition event operating under IBJJF rules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Training
Quantifiable outcome
- Minimum 48 weeks of lessons provided per year
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Combat Academy
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Combat Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature2 records
The Combat Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF)coreThe Combat Academy is registered with the IBJJF, the governing body for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu internationally. Head Coach Dave Coles is an IBJJF referee who has officiated at major events including the European Championships and London Open.
- Coacha AppcoreDigital membership management and payment processing platform used for monthly subscription billing, direct debits, and member sign-ups.
- EventbritemajorOnline event registration platform used for Hereford Open BJJ Championships entries and ticket management.
- Tatami FightwearminorSponsor of the Hereford Open BJJ Championships.
- Mat Hire UKminorCompetition mat supplier and sponsor for the Hereford Open BJJ Championships.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Combat Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- East London BJJ: Independent London-based BJJ and combat-sports academy offering BJJ, MMA, and striking classes with competition focus. Comparable UK peer to The Combat Academy in programming mix (BJJ plus MMA), age-segmented classes, and competition-event involvement, though operating in a much larger urban market.
- Carlson Gracie UK: UK affiliate of the historic Carlson Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lineage, running BJJ-focused academies in the UK. Comparable in product (BJJ instruction), instructor credentials, and target demographic to The Combat Academy, and a direct competitor for UK BJJ students and competition entrants.
- Straight Blast Gym (SBG): International MMA-focused training organisation with affiliated gyms across the US, Europe, and elsewhere, offering striking, grappling, and MMA under a shared curriculum. Comparable to The Combat Academy's MMA offering and academy-network structure, though with greater geographic scale.
- Roger Gracie Academy: UK-headquartered Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy network founded by multiple-time world champion Roger Gracie, with multiple London-area locations. Most directly comparable UK peer given shared geography, BJJ specialism, competition credentials, and academy-affiliate structure.
- Alliance BJJ: One of the largest and most decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition teams in the world, with affiliated academies across the UK and globally. Comparable to The Combat Academy in BJJ instruction, IBJJF competition participation, and academy affiliation, but operating as a globally federated team rather than a single independent school.
- Titan BJJ: UK-based Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy offering structured BJJ instruction with competition-team emphasis. Directly comparable peer in BJJ-focused instruction, UK geography, and competition-circuit participation, though operating at a different regional scale.
- 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu: International no-gi-focused Brazilian Jiu Jitsu organisation founded by Eddie Bravo with affiliated academies across the UK and globally. Directly comparable as a BJJ training brand built around a distinctive technical system, competition circuit participation, and academy-affiliation model.
- Gracie Barra: Largest global Brazilian Jiu Jitsu franchise network with hundreds of certified schools worldwide, including multiple UK locations. Directly comparable to The Combat Academy as a BJJ-centric training academy with belt-ranked curriculum, structured class schedules, and competition involvement, but operating at vastly greater scale and capital intensity.
- Checkmat BJJ: International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition team with affiliated academies worldwide, including the UK. Comparable to The Combat Academy in BJJ instruction, IBJJF-affiliated competition participation, and academy-network affiliation, though operating as part of a globally branded team.
Emerging players
- Tiger Muay Thai: Thailand-based combat-sports training camp best known for Muay Thai, MMA, and striking programmes, attracting international fight-camp clients. Comparable to The Combat Academy as a multi-discipline combat-sports training operation, though differentiated by fight-camp tourism and Thai-striking focus rather than BJJ specialism.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Combat Academy social profiles
Digital presenceThe Combat Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Combat Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The Combat Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Combat Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Combat Academy
What does The Combat Academy do?
The Combat Academy provides in-person martial arts instruction in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, and K1 kickboxing at its Hereford facility. It serves a diverse range of students through age-segmented programs including Tiny Taz for primary school children, women-only self-defence classes, and a Masters class for adults over 40, alongside private 1:1 and small group sessions. The academy also hosts the annual Hereford Open Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships under IBJJF rules.
Is The Combat Academy a public or private company?
The Combat Academy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Combat Academy founded?
The Combat Academy was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Combat Academy based?
The Combat Academy is headquartered in Hereford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Combat Academy make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Class Attendance Fees are the primary driver. The others are membership Subscriptions, competition Entry Fees and equipment Sales.
Who are The Combat Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are East London BJJ, Carlson Gracie UK, Straight Blast Gym (SBG), Roger Gracie Academy, Alliance BJJ, Titan BJJ, 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, Gracie Barra and Checkmat BJJ. Tiger Muay Thai is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Combat Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Combat Academy.
What industry is The Combat Academy in?
The Combat Academy's product category is Martial Arts Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADADAC, Grappling & Submission Arts Training (Judo, BJJ, Wrestling), with a secondary code of HSADADAD, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Training. Its NAICS code is 611620 and its SIC code is 8200.