We are a mixed martial arts style that focuses on the traditional MMA philosophy. Our Vancouver MMA gym is without question one of the pioneers in Western Canada. We have been teaching martial arts in East Vancouver since 1989. Our approach is to constantly improve in all areas of martial arts, which has been validated by our exemplary students, who've shown incredible results over the years. MMA is considered the ultimate in Martial arts because we cover all ranges of striking and grappling. The integration of these ranges and the blending of techniques make it supremely applicable. We offer classes for Men and Women, and offer kids programs. The benefits span multiple areas, including self-defense, fitness, mental discipline, and sport.
MMA Vancouver Classes
MMA is often considered the ultimate because it employs all areas, striking, wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu. Our approach is grappling heavy, since we offer Muay Thai at other times on our schedule. We emphasize striking entries to get the clinch both defensively and offensively. Our takedowns on the wall or the cage and in the middle will blend the striking with the wrestling. On the ground we will blend positional improvement and control with ground and pound and submissions. There will be situational and full MMA sparring in a progressive manner.
We teach two types of Kickboxing in our Mixed Martial Arts Vancouver gym. We offer classes in Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Muay Thai Skills and Conditioning, which are taught by world-class instructors. The difference between the two is largely in the addition of the sparring component. For a detailed comparison of Muay Thai Kickboxing and Muay Thai Skills & Conditioning.
We have been offering top notch training in Kickboxing and Muay Thai for many years in our Vancouver MMA and Muay Thai gym. We provide a high-energy environment for training. Muay Thai is considered the art of 8 Limbs, punching, elbows, knees and kicks. It is a beautiful style that is great for Fitness, Self defense, Mental Discipline and Sport. Our Kickboxing classes, which emphasize the Muay Thai style, are also part of our Mixed Martial Arts curriculum.
Submission Wrestling is part of our MMA program at our Vancouver gym. We are no longer offering specialized classes in Submission Wrestling, also known as No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Submission Grappling. Our MMA classes are Submission Grappling heavy. We provide awesome personal training sessions with tailored instruction where students work one-on-one with a dedicated instructor. These sessions are designed to help students master new techniques, enhance skill levels, and build strength in a focused, supportive environment.
We offer youth and kids programs at our Vancouver gym in Mixed Martial Arts. Our classes are designed for all levels, even beginners, and are held three times a week. Attendance at every session is not mandatory — we understand the challenges of busy schedules. That said, we encourage students to train as consistently as possible to maximize their progress. For days when they can't attend, we recommend practicing at home to reinforce skills and maintain their momentum.
The lifestyle and discipline from practice will help a student be successful in school and relationships and develop their strength and confidence. Over the years, our students' achievements have been a testament to the quality of our amazing program and the dedication of our team. Their success is a source of inspiration and pride, highlighting the impact of our greatest instructors, who are deeply committed to helping each student reach their potential. We love being a part of their success story. Just look at these testimonials.
Our Kids/Youth Mixed martial arts/MMA program include striking elements from Muay Thai and a heavy dose of wrestling and No Gi Jiu-Jitsu, to develop instinctive skills. The benefits of starting martial arts early on are significant in many cases. We offer a free week trial, and are happy to work together to develop a well-rounded training practice for their long-term success.
Our Muay Thai Skills and Conditioning class is very popular. The style is the same as our regular Muay Thai Kickboxing class, but does not include contact sparring. It is a high-energy, explosive workout of Muay Thai kickboxing skills that can benefit both recreational and serious students. We offer a free week trial. You can find a detailed description of the class on both the Kickboxing and the Muay Thai Skills and Conditioning pages.
If you are looking for a fun workout with practical skills or if you are looking to refine your technique, our Muay Thai Skills and Conditioning class could be for you.
Our MMA classes heavily incorporate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques. With specialized Muay Thai classes already available, our Mixed Martial Arts sessions focus primarily on wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, emphasizing the integration of grappling techniques with striking applications. We will use offensive and defensive entries from striking to get the clinch and use takedowns to get the fight to the ground. On the ground we will use positional applications which incorporate 'ground and pound' to improve position and work to a finish. We use submission wrestling and Jiu-jitsu skills to learn how to submit our opponents and how to defend submissions and negative positions in an MMA environment.
We feel this approach is the ultimate and effective for a well-rounded self-defense program. We also work with amateur and professional MMA fighters. Many people want to study MMA or Mixed martial arts to develop self-defense skills and confidence. This is certainly one of our main objectives. It is an awesome class with first-class instructors who have been with the style for many years and who have been champions in MMA themselves.

Self Defense • Fitness • Mental Discipline • and Sport
Men • Women • Children
Our Mission Statement since 1989: To bring out the best physically, mentally, and spiritually in our students and in ourselves in the long term through the martial arts.
Benefits of Teaching Martial Arts With Pankration / MMA
We offer a tried-and-true system of mixed martial arts (MMA) taught by experienced champion instructors who take great pride in helping you succeed on and off the mats. The main benefits we provide, in broad categories, are Self-Defense, Fitness, Mental Discipline and Sport. In a nutshell, we are a mixed martial arts style emphasizing traditional philosophy. This foundation makes our approach well-rounded and beneficial on and off the mats.
Our Instructors
Our world-class instructor team has been extremely experienced in our style for many years. We are personable and take pride in seeing our students succeed in all areas of life on the mats and off. For detailed creditials of our champion black belt instructor team check the Instructor page.
Areas We Serve
Posener's Pankration/MMA and Muay Thai is conveniently located at 3163 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC. We're one of the only MMA gyms in the area. We proudly serve the surrounding communities of East Vancouver, including Renfrew-Collingwood, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, and surrounding neighbourhoods. Our reach also extends to students from Burnaby and other areas in Greater Vancouver. We make high-quality martial arts training accessible to a wide range of individuals, whether you're nearby or beyond.
We're here to support your journey in martial arts!
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Posener's Pankration/MMA and Muay Thai
Phone: (604) 255-5344
Address: 3163 Kingsway Vancouver, BC V5R 5K2
Email: pankration@shaw.ca