The primary program
Mad Max's Fight Team
I'll teach you real MMA, whether you want to compete or just want to train like you do. Your first week is free.
Book Your No Sweat OrientationThe honest part
The thing nobody says out loud.
You're not worried about the work. You're worried about being the worst one in the room. Almost everyone I coach walked in thinking exactly that.
Two tiers. One door.
Tier 1: selective
Mad Max's Fight Team
My competition track. It's an application rather than a sign-up, because I hold you to the standard I hold myself to.
If you're in, you train in the system that got me to 6-0.
It's hard on purpose.
Tier 2: volume
MMA for Adults
Where most people belong. You want the discipline, the conditioning and the real technique, and you never want to step in a cage.
Same coaching, same room. Different destination.
This is probably you.
What you actually get.
You learn to defend yourself for real
Striking, clinch and ground work that holds up under pressure. Not choreography.
You join a room that has your back
Everyone beside you walked in as new as you are.
You get fighter conditioning without the fight
The same conditioning that keeps me in fight shape, scaled to you.
Why trust this
I remember how heavy that door felt. You don't know the etiquette, you don't know if you belong, and you don't know what happens to someone who turns up knowing nothing.
I'm 6-0 as a pro with thirteen straight wins, so what I teach you is what actually works. You don't have to take the hits that proved it.
I'm the number one ranked lightweight in Ohio on Tapology, and I'm still competing. Almost nobody running a gym here can say that.
I train under Matt Brown at Ronin Training Center. He retired from the UFC with one of the highest knockout counts in its history, and that standard is what I bring back into this room.
How it works
Three steps. That's the whole thing.
Book your No Sweat Orientation
Free. Pick a day, meet me, and see the gym before you commit.
Show up
Fundamentals only. Nobody spars on day one. Stance, footwork, a jab.
Decide at the end of the week
You'll know the room and which track fits. Then you tell me.
MMA training in Columbus, the way it should be taught
If you have been looking for an MMA gym in Columbus, OH, you have probably noticed most of them assume you already know what you are doing. I built mine to be the opposite. I am Max Metzgar, I am an active professional fighter, and I remember being the new person because it was not that long ago.
MMA classes in Columbus are easy to find. MMA classes taught by someone currently 6-0 as a pro, on a thirteen fight win streak, and ranked the number one lightweight in Ohio on Tapology are not. I did not open this academy to cash in on a name. I opened it because the standard I train at was not available to regular people here at a price and a pace they could start at.
There are two tracks on purpose. Mad Max's Fight Team is the competition track, and it is an application rather than a sign-up because I hold you to the standard I hold myself to. MMA for Adults is the bigger track and the one most people reading this should start in. You get the same coaching. You just have a different destination.
You start with a free No Sweat Orientation, and the only thing I ask is that you turn up once. Day one is fundamentals only. Nobody spars, and nobody touches you. If you join and do not love your first week, you get your money back.
Three ways to train here.
Same coaching and the same room in all three. What changes is where you are headed and how much individual attention you get.
Mad Max's Fight Team
The competition track. Selective, and framed as an application.
- For people who intend to compete
- The system that got me to 6-0
- Striking, grappling, conditioning and fight IQ
MMA for Adults
Train like a fighter without ever stepping in a cage.
- The largest group, and where most people start
- Fundamentals first, and nobody spars on day one
- Love your first week or get your money back
Private Lessons
One to one, for faster progress or more privacy.
- Built entirely around your goals and schedule
- Useful alongside classes or on its own
- Available for adults and for kids
Not sure which is yours? Book a No Sweat Orientation first. That is exactly what it is for, and you can move between tracks afterwards.
The first week, hour by hour
What actually happens when you walk in.
Day 1
Walk in. Get shown around.
You meet me, get a tour, get handed wraps. Fundamentals only. Nobody spars and nobody touches you.
Day 2
Add the cross and the frame.
A cross off the jab, a basic frame in the clinch. Still nothing beyond pad work.
Day 3
Ground intro, on your terms.
How to fall, how to shrimp, one escape. Slow, and nothing happens that you didn't agree to.
Day 4
Put the pieces in flow.
Light flow drills with a partner who was where you are. By now you know a few names.
Day 5
You decide.
We sit down, you tell me what you felt, and you pick a track. No pitch.
The things you're thinking
Every one of these is normal.
I've never trained before.
Most of the room hadn't either. The whole first week is built for exactly that. You're not behind, you're who this is for.
I'm out of shape.
So was the guy who just had his first amateur fight. Conditioning comes from training, not before it. Nobody is timing you.
I don't want to get hurt.
Neither do I. Sparring is earned and opt-in, never assigned. Contact comes in slowly, at your pace.
I'm too old.
I coach people in their thirties, forties and fifties. Your age changes the pace, not whether you can do it.
What people say
Verified Google reviews
Started the program with zero mma experience - Max met me where I was at, helped me build my fundamentals, and kept me at a pace where I felt involved but not overwhelmed. Overall excellent coaching across all levels, with attention to detail and solid technique as the focal point, in addition to a supportive and encouraging community. Highly recommend
Remington Norman
7 months ago
Max is a wonderful personal trainer! He's a great listener when it comes to your goals and an encouraging presence in the gym. The atmosphere is fun and nonjudgmental while still focused and engaging enough to see results. 10/10 would recommend!
Kori Stewart
8 months ago
I worked with Max to put together a private birthday boxing event for my boyfriend and his friends, and it was an absolute hit! Max guided everyone through a variety of punches and combinations, keeping the energy high and the vibe fun throughout. He wrapped up the session with some friendly sparring, which everyone loved. Max made the whole experience easy to plan and incredibly enjoyable from start to finish. I'd highly recommend him for your next private event
Olivia J
11 months ago
Questions about starting MMA
Do I need experience to start MMA?
No. Most people who walk in have never trained. Your first week covers stance, movement, and the basics of striking and wrestling at your pace.
Do I have to spar or fight?
Never. Sparring is optional and only happens once you are ready and want to. Most members train for fitness, skill, and confidence, not competition.
Am I too old or out of shape to train MMA?
No. Classes scale to where you are right now. Adults of all ages and fitness levels train here, and getting in shape is part of the process.
What should I bring to my first MMA class?
Athletic clothes, water, and a good attitude. We will tell you if you need any gear before your first class.
Where is the MMA gym located?
The MMA Team trains at 6772 Kilowatt Cir, Blacklick, OH 43004, an easy drive from Gahanna, Reynoldsburg, New Albany, Pickerington, and east Columbus.
Your first week is free.
Free orientation, zero pressure. Love your first week or get your money back. This is the only ask on this page.
Free Guide
Never walked into an MMA gym?
Grab The First-Timer's Guide to Walking Into an MMA Gym: what to wear, what to expect on day one, and the fears that turn out not to be real. Free, and it opens straight away.
Read the guideBook your No Sweat Orientation.
Free to start. Love your first week or get your money back. Show up and find out what you're made of.
Book Your No Sweat Orientation