Featured affiliated academy: Maverick MMA and Performance, BJJ Ireland
Where is the gym located?
Balllybofey, Donegal, Ireland.
How many people train there?
40 to 45 on average come through our doors a weekly basis.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We only opened our new full-time HQ a month ago because of Covid delays, but we are growing steadily with new sign-ups daily.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
We have had purple belts and blue belts in rolling on a daily basis and it’s great for our club to get the rolls in with higher level competitors. We run our gym on a open door policy, so it doesn’t matter what team or affiliation you belong to – you are more than welcome to drop in for a session.
When did the gym open?
Maverick MMA and Performance was established in 2018, working out of gyms and community centres. In July 2021 we opened our full-time academy.
Some facts about you:
Name: AJ McDaid
Age: 28
Belt: Blue belt
Profession: Gym owner
Years in BJJ: 14 years on and off
Other martial arts: I’ve fought in MMA and competed in K1 kickboxing
Currently living in: Stranorlar, Donegal, Ireland
Originally from: Strabane, Tyrone, Ireland
BJJ Ireland: Maverick MMA and Performance
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
I have been involved in martial arts since I was 14 years old, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to train alongside some amazing fighters and coaches along the way. I had always been travelling at night for my training, up to several hours. It was always my dream to open a martial arts academy in my hometown to offer the kind of training I had been travelling to get to. My previous jobs took me to the UK and Dublin, where I got to see loads of successful full-time academies and people living the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle.
I had never really been passionate about anything other than martial arts, and always believed you should follow your passion whatever it is.
We started by working out of community centres and halls, but I realised that in order to have great success and to become the type of academy we wanted to be, we needed a full-time academy. We had problems at first finding a unit, which ended up moving us 20 mins away from the town we started in, but I think the unit we found and location is perfect. Now post-Covid it’s back to business.
Tell us about the people that train in Maverick MMA and Performance, BJJ Ireland – who are they?
We have people literally from every walk of life, from social workers to tree surgeons and students etc. We have a great mix of personalities.
Why do they train?
Some members train with the hope of competing on a high level. Others just want a different way of getting fit. I think a major aspect is the community feeling. We push this hard and really try to strike a great balance between training hard and having a laugh. As soon as you walk through our door on your first day, we try and make you feel part of the team. Always keeping a positive vibe.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general, and in your area specifically?
The biggest challenge I’ve seen is getting people to take the final step and come through the door. A lot of people are intimidated to come through the door – they’ll message and get everything in order, but fail to show. I think in time this will diminish when they see the great characters we have on the mats and how friendly an atmosphere we have.
BJJ Ireland: Maverick MMA and Performance
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
I think this is only the beginning. I hope it progresses to be a club known for high-level grappling. I will do everything I can to make it happen. I already have two BJJ Globetrotters instructors, Chris Paines and Michael Currier, coming to our gym for seminars, and as a team we will try to attend as many camps as possible. Just a little note to any other Globetrotters instructors ever wanting to come to Donegal – just PM us on our FB page and we will do our best to make it happen!
What’s the best thing about your Maverick MMA and Performance, BJJ Ireland?
100% the community vibe and the more relaxed attitude towards the, in our opinion, outdated rules of the grappling community. We don’t do belt hierarchy or any of this so-called club loyalty where you are only allowed to train here. We show each and every member respect, as they do to each other, and we encourage our members to always learn more and experience travelling to other gyms.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
If you’re coming to Donegal you can visit over 100 beaches, with a few cold paradises for surfers. The international surf spots Bundoran and Rossnowlough are not far from our gym. You also can explore the breathtaking scenery which is endless in Donegal. Donegal offers all the outdoor sports you could imagine, and if that doesn’t take your fancy we offer endless amounts of Irish pubs and good ‘Crk’. Everyone is more than welcome to come visit our gym anytime.
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