Featured affiliated academy: Barbarik MMA, BJJ in India
Barbarik MMA, BJJ in India
Where is the gym located?
Barbarik MMA is located in the vibrant university town of Manipal, in the Udupi district of coastal Karnataka, India.
How many people train there?
We currently have a solid, dedicated core of about 50-60 active practitioners across our grappling and combat sports programs. The strength training section have their own regular members.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
Yes, we are experiencing steady, high-quality growth. Being in a premier university town, we see a consistent influx of students and young professionals.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
The honest answer is that we are a hungry, un-graded mat, but we have the medals to prove our technical level. Nearly all of our home-grown core members are dedicated white belts who have never been officially graded. However, our mats are highly competitive; I recently won the Silver Medal at the ADCC India Open 2025 in the Masters 40+ division, and several of our team members are active competitors and tournament medalists on the national circuit.
We do have a few members who transferred in with ranks from other academies, and we regularly host visiting blue and purple belts who come through our university town. Right now, our entire squad is focused on sharp technical progression as we prepare to host Coach Jake Tapia (10th Planet) for a specialized seminar in August 2026, which is when our team will receive our first official ranks and grading under his lineage.
When did the gym open?
The seeds were planted earlier under our previous banner, but we officially rebranded, took full ownership, and launched as Barbarik MMA in April 2026.
Barbarik MMA, BJJ in India
Some facts about you:
Name: Frank Mapprany
Age: 46
Belt: White belt under the 10th Planet BJJ system (Coach Jacob Tapia) affiliate with Levelup academy
Profession: NOGI BJJ Coach at Barbarik MMA, / Visiting Faculty in Sports Psychology & Sports Science at Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
Years in BJJ: 7+ years of dedicated grappling experience.
Other martial arts: Background in Judo (with a strong emphasis on No-Gi integration).
Currently living in: Manipal, Karnataka, India.
Originally from: Thrissur, Kerala, India.
Barbarik MMA, BJJ in India
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
The gym actually evolved out of a necessity to create a true high-performance environment that didn’t exist in our region. I originally co-founded the facility back when it was registered under a different corporate partnership. However, as my vision for high-level combat sports development grew, I decided to step away from the old corporate structure to build something purely dedicated to the martial arts lifestyle.
In April 2026, we rebranded and launched Barbarik MMA. The name “Barbarik” draws inspiration from the legendary warrior of Indian history known for his unyielding strength and unmatched tactical skill. My goal was to combine my academic background—I hold an MSc in Sports and Exercise Psychology from Bangor University—with real-world mat experience. We built this gym to be a laboratory where high-performance sports science, strength and conditioning, and submission grappling intersect.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
Because we are located in Manipal—a major educational and medical hub—our mat is a fascinating melting pot. We train elite medical students, engineering undergraduates, local working professionals, physiotherapy students, and hard-nosed local athletes. It’s an eclectic mix of sharp academic minds and tough, hungry martial artists.
Why do they train?
The motivations run deep. A huge portion of our student base trains for stress relief and mental clarity to balance their intense academic loads. Others train for the pure love of martial arts, strength training, functional fitness and self-defense. Then we have a growing contingent of competitive athletes who are obsessed with the technical intricacies of the 10th Planet No-Gi system and want to test themselves on the national sub-only circuit.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
In general, the challenge is always managing the classic BJJ attrition rate—helping people push past the initial steep learning curve of white belt without quitting.
Specifically in our area, our biggest unique challenge is the student lifecycle. Because our demographic is heavily university-driven, we face a natural turnover every few years when brilliant students graduate and move away. It means we have to be exceptionally good at onboarding beginners rapidly and creating a culture that feels like a family the moment you step inside, knowing our time with them might be a 3-to-4-year window.
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
The future is incredibly bright. Indian submission grappling is experiencing a massive underground boom right now. At Barbarik MMA, we are affiliated to Levelup academy and I am under Coach Jake Tapia. A black belt from 10 Planet and we follow the 10 planet system at Barbarik MMA. We are actively putting Manipal on the map, hosting high-level seminars—like bringing down Coach Jake Tapia from 10th Planet in the month of August’26—and our goal is to turn coastal Karnataka into a premier hub for technical No-Gi grappling in India.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
Without a doubt, it’s our coaching philosophy and our indigenous culture of Tulunadu. We don’t do old-school, rigid, military-style lecturing. Because of my background in sports psychology, we run the mat as a collaborative, ego-free learning laboratory. We use games and specific constraints to let athletes discover technique organically. There is zero toxicity—just high-level training, deep mutual respect, and a collective drive to get 1% better every single day. Since we are a hybrid gym, we have a section available for pure strength training and a section suitable for MMA & BJJ enthusiasts.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Manipal and the surrounding Udupi region are a hidden paradise for travelers.
The Coastline: You are minutes away from stunning, pristine spots like Malpe Beach and the delta walks where the river meets the Arabian Sea.
The Food: Udupi is world-famous for its traditional South Indian vegetarian cuisine (you haven’t lived until you’ve had a proper ghee roast or fresh local idlis here).
The Western Ghats: If you ride motorcycles or love trekking, the winding jungle roads leading up to the Agumbe rainforest (the “Cherrapunji of the South”) offer some of the most breathtaking views, wildlife and waterfalls in the country. It’s the perfect backdrop for a training reset.
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