Kings MMA - Huntington Beach OC

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Hey Everyone,

This is my 1st post ever so if anyone makes any newb remarks, well... I am. That's settled.

I've been looking into a lot of mma gyms in Orange County and I keep hearing about King's MMA, both good and bad, but mostly from people who've never trained there before. So I'm hoping this thread can be answered by people who have trained there at least once or know someone personally who has trained there.

Please try not to make any opinions on the gym based on which pro fighters train there. I'm more interested in knowing how the quality of training and technique is over there, not just from Rafael Cordero but also his training staff. Also, do they focus on all of their students individually or only to the ones who have a shot of going pro? Thanks in advance!
 
Dude, search button. I've had many a talk of Kings MMA with people. I didn't like it much. Felt too much ego there, but I'm sure the longer you stay, the more comfortable you'll feel. The training was tough and very good quality. You'll learn a lot, man. As for the BJJ, you REALLY have to stay long to get comfortable. It wasn't as organized as pure BJJ schools like, say... Gracie Barra. Check it out man, don't just take our advice. You'll never make a decision with the back and forth if you do.

The best thing about Kings was that I trained in a class with Wanderlei, Babalu, and Shogun. Made my life.
 
I'm planning on taking a week off this year to go down and train at Kings. I've only dealt with aBrazilian woman (who I assume is Rafael's wife) but she was very kind and helpful. Good to know about Triangles experience.
 
The best thing about Kings was that I trained in a class with Wanderlei, Babalu, and Shogun. Made my life.

Thats awesome.Never been there but my cousin makes a long journey to train there every week.If your looking to be a fighter its probaly a good place to be.For just a hobybist it can probaly be pretty rough brutal experience for you.
 
Thats awesome.Never been there but my cousin makes a long journey to train there every week.If your looking to be a fighter its probaly a good place to be.For just a hobybist it can probaly be pretty rough brutal experience for you.

Absolutely. This is why I advise TS to go there and not hear it for everyone, he might be in for a shock if he goes to the evening class that Master Rafael teaches. I likened his Muay Thai class to a boot camp, as he shouts very loud and passionately and counts loudly when you're doing drills. I was TIRED, man. And my calves were sore for a good number of days, I couldn't imagine going consecutively. That was when I was in decent shape too, haha. Martial arts man... the workout is very different.

Oh, and when you see the pros hit pads, MAN, you realize how weak you are. Hahaha
 
I trained there for a few months last year. The BJJ classes were unstructured and I was thrown to the sharks pretty much. Prof Joao Assis would show a technique or two and the whole class would roll without anyone watching the whitebelts. The higher belts only seemed to be interested in.themselves and their progress. Joao was nice but he was preoccupied with rolling.with.the many other black belts who came by on a regular basis. Many times I just stood around because no newbies showed up for classh. It seemed very clique-ish to me and the only one w checked on the new guys was Korey.

The muay Thai classes were more like kickboxing classes. I used to train at Saekson's gym when he was still in Socal awhile ago. Kings is nothing like how I used to train. They don't teach you how to wrap your hands, stances, didn't use the heavy bags although there's a bunch of them, do a lot of long "air" combos, instructors (Tyler, Fernando, Xandao) don't hold pads and there seemed to be a superiority complex with people who train there.

Master Rafa only seemed to.train.the pros so he would probably never hold pads.for.regular guys.

I didn't feel.welcomed.there and eventually stopped going.
 
When I was in LA, I trained there for a few days, but unfortunately I missed the day Cordeiro was there. Training was good and all the coaches knew what they were doing. Everyone was pretty friendly and chatted with me. I got to spar with some pros on Friday morning and they know their stuff. Some people say that there is an ego there, but at my level at the time I know better than to partner with the advance guys so I had no problems. It seemed like there was a good mix of people of all levels. It was $20 a day drop in so it's sweet if you want to visit. As for joining, it is very pricey compared to other gyms in the area. If you have the $$$ I would say go for it especially if it's close to where you live/commute.
 
Thanks for making a very informative thread everyone, all your posts are great. @Triangleman, I know I have to visit myself to really know if it is a good fit, but advice from all you guys that have trained there does hold weight. It seems like King's is better suited for those who are already experienced rather than trying to learn basic fundamentals from the start.

I am thinking of checking out OC Muay Thai as I've heard great things about their MT training, especially for beginners learning the techniques and proper conditioning. Also, Allan Goes has a small jj gym in Mission Viejo that no one seems to know about but looks pretty legit
 
Thanks for making a very informative thread everyone, all your posts are great. @Triangleman, I know I have to visit myself to really know if it is a good fit, but advice from all you guys that have trained there does hold weight. It seems like King's is better suited for those who are already experienced rather than trying to learn basic fundamentals from the start.

I am thinking of checking out OC Muay Thai as I've heard great things about their MT training, especially for beginners learning the techniques and proper conditioning. Also, Allan Goes has a small jj gym in Mission Viejo that no one seems to know about but looks pretty legit

It's good for beginners, just don't take Cordeiro's class if you're a beginner because it's advanced. All the other coaches classes are suited for all levels and are easier.

You should check it out and the other places to see what is right for you.
 
Without Cordeiro, it's not even worth it. I felt so unchallenged by the curriculum, so mentally unstimulated by what I was learning. No stance work, no useful Muay Thai, it usually just felt like basic kickboxing from a generic source. Sad to say. In fact, the coaches there don't have high ranks in Cordeiro's Muay Thai "belt" system. So what's the point then? Wanna stay like a serious beginner or join the tougher class, get roughed up, and maybe dislike the experience until you force your way to enjoy it?

I'd prefer another gym. OC Muay Thai is pretty sweet, albeit intense, but solid.
 
Without Cordeiro, it's not even worth it. I felt so unchallenged by the curriculum, so mentally unstimulated by what I was learning. No stance work, no useful Muay Thai, it usually just felt like basic kickboxing from a generic source. Sad to say. In fact, the coaches there don't have high ranks in Cordeiro's Muay Thai "belt" system. So what's the point then? Wanna stay like a serious beginner or join the tougher class, get roughed up, and maybe dislike the experience until you force your way to enjoy it?

I'd prefer another gym. OC Muay Thai is pretty sweet, albeit intense, but solid.

Yeah I want a tough class that'll kick my ass and push me past my perceived limits. Again, what I care most about is proper training and technique, it seems like OC Muay Thai is very old school and they train you the same way they would in Thailand. I'm gonna take their free trial class this Monday
 
You should check it out and the other places to see what is right for you.

I would love to check out multiple gyms and get a feel for things... if I knew what I was doing haha. I've never taken any martial arts classes and have 0 experience, so it would be difficult for me to know which place is right, which is why I value all you're guys' opinions. I could probably walk out of a McDojo thinking its the best gym around
 
I would love to check out multiple gyms and get a feel for things... if I knew what I was doing haha. I've never taken any martial arts classes and have 0 experience, so it would be difficult for me to know which place is right, which is why I value all you're guys' opinions. I could probably walk out of a McDojo thinking its the best gym around

Just report back to us how the classes go and we can tell you if they are worth it or not.
 
I would love to check out multiple gyms and get a feel for things... if I knew what I was doing haha. I've never taken any martial arts classes and have 0 experience, so it would be difficult for me to know which place is right, which is why I value all you're guys' opinions. I could probably walk out of a McDojo thinking its the best gym around

Oh jeez, been there. In that case, I definitely recommend OC Muay Thai. it's the best, but please remember not to overwork yourself and injure yourself! You might be a new guy to gyms, but I hope you're not a new guy to exercise :p I've injured myself before, just listen to your body. Learn the balance of pushing yourself to the limit, but not to the point where you feel like you're at 20% but you have a class that makes you go 120%. That's where injuries come in. Haha

I lived in the OC for almost all my life. It's HUGE. Are you in the HB area? That would explain Kings and OC Muay Thai.
 
Oh jeez, been there. In that case, I definitely recommend OC Muay Thai. it's the best, but please remember not to overwork yourself and injure yourself! You might be a new guy to gyms, but I hope you're not a new guy to exercise :p I've injured myself before, just listen to your body. Learn the balance of pushing yourself to the limit, but not to the point where you feel like you're at 20% but you have a class that makes you go 120%. That's where injuries come in. Haha

I lived in the OC for almost all my life. It's HUGE. Are you in the HB area? That would explain Kings and OC Muay Thai.

I'm not new to excercising but I am a little out of shape, I got a good feel for understanding my body though. I actually live in South OC, it'll take me about 45 min to get to those gyms on a clear day. I just feel when your trying to build a solid foundation, you want the quality to be high and train at the best places
 
I'm not new to excercising but I am a little out of shape, I got a good feel for understanding my body though. I actually live in South OC, it'll take me about 45 min to get to those gyms on a clear day. I just feel when your trying to build a solid foundation, you want the quality to be high and train at the best places

True. Seems like the gas isn't a big deal for you. In that case, see what OC Muay Thai offers in terms of pricing and deals. Kings MMA demands a contract and even has a signing fee (and it's extremely expensive, and I'm no penny pincher). Assuming you're a student, you'll need to realize how much time you're spending (that's at least 3 hours a day for training altogether) and be wise with your upfront commitment to the gym, if any.
 
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