Case Study: How Elite MMA in Houston Added a Quarter-Million in Growth Across Two Locations

There’s a myth that the Martial Arts Wealth Mastery systems only work for kids-focused traditional schools — that a serious, adult, competition-oriented BJJ and MMA gym is a different animal. Eric Williams and Hai Nguyen, partners at Elite MMA in Houston, Texas, are the answer to that myth. They run two locations with a combined 850-plus mostly-adult members training Jiu-Jitsu and MMA — and in their first year in the program, they added about $250,000 in growth.

Watch the Elite MMA story

Two locations, 850+ adult members, and a quarter-million in new growth

Eric and Hai are partners across a couple of locations. One location runs about 650 members — primarily adults doing Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. The second runs about 200 members on a similar curriculum. This is a real combat-sports operation: adult-heavy, competition-minded, the kind of gym owners assume is too different from a traditional martial arts school for “business systems” to matter.

The results say otherwise. After joining the Inner Circle, Eric and Hai grew Elite MMA by about a quarter of a million dollars from one year to the next. That’s not a rounding error on a small school — that’s $250,000 of new annual growth on an already-substantial two-location gym, in a single year of implementing what they learned.

Why the systems transfer to BJJ and MMA

Here’s the thing every combat-sports owner needs to hear: the fundamentals that grow a school don’t care what style you teach. Enrollment process, pricing and membership structure, retention, and staff development work exactly the same whether the mats are covered in gi-clad white belts or MMA fighters. A 650-member adult BJJ and MMA gym has the same core levers as any other school — it just has more members riding on how well those levers are pulled. When Elite MMA tightened those systems, a quarter-million dollars of growth fell out of the same student base and market they already had.

Eric and Hai specifically credit Toby Milroy and Stephen Oliver for the guidance behind that year. And Hai has been unequivocal about the value of the coaching itself — in his words, “Working with Stephen Oliver is like having a chance to train privately with Bruce Lee — don’t miss that opportunity.”

The hidden asset: a room full of the country’s top owners

When Eric and Hai talk about what makes the difference, they don’t start with a single tactic — they start with the room. “The top minds in the country are here sharing ideas about how we grow our schools,” Eric says, “and it’s a fantastic experience.” Hai echoes it: it’s “a great learning experience,” a chance to “see all the fine martial artists around the country,” to get from Stephen Oliver and Toby Milroy “the information that we need to grow beyond what we are right now to the future,” and to see what other owners across the country are doing. “You get a real sense of community here.”

That community is a genuine business asset, not a nicety. Owners at every level — first-year operators through multi-location veterans like Eric and Hai — sharpen each other by swapping what’s actually working in their gyms right now. As Eric put it, everyone’s busy, “but it’s taking the time that really makes a difference.”

What Elite MMA’s story should teach you

• The systems work for adult BJJ and MMA gyms. Elite MMA runs 650+ mostly-adult members — and still found a quarter-million in new growth.
• Big gyms have big levers. Tightening enrollment, pricing, retention, and staff on a large base can move $250,000 in a single year.
• Multi-location owners benefit too. The same systems that grow one school compound across two.
• The peer room is part of the product. Learning from the top owners in the country is where much of the growth actually comes from.

Related Reading

• Why MMA Gyms Struggle With Recurring Revenue (and How to Fix It)
• How to Grow a BJJ Gym Without Discounting Tuition
• Case Study: How Tooke Mixed Martial Arts Fixed Retention in Houston
• Case Study: $25K to $100K a Month With a BJJ/MMA School

Frequently asked questions

Who are Eric Williams and Hai Nguyen?

Eric Williams and Hai Nguyen are partners at Elite MMA in Houston, Texas, a mixed martial arts and Jiu-Jitsu operation with two locations. Both are members of Stephen Oliver’s Martial Arts Wealth Mastery Inner Circle.

How much did Elite MMA grow?

By about $250,000 from one year to the next after joining the Inner Circle — across two locations with roughly 650 members at one and 200 at the other, primarily adults training Jiu-Jitsu and MMA.

Do these systems really work for adult MMA and BJJ gyms?

Yes. Elite MMA is an adult-heavy, competition-oriented gym, and it added a quarter-million in growth in a year. The core levers — enrollment, pricing, retention, and staff development — apply to combat-sports gyms just as they do to traditional schools.

Grow your gym without changing what you teach

If you run a BJJ academy or MMA gym and think the business systems don’t apply to you, Elite MMA’s quarter-million-dollar year says otherwise. Start with a free, no-obligation Personal Evaluation with our team. Call or text our National Director Bob Dunne at +1 (720) 256-0208, or book online below.

About the Author

Stephen Oliver, MBA and 10th Degree Black Belt, is the Founder and CEO of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, CEO of NAPMA (National Association of Professional Martial Artists), and Publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine. A martial arts school owner since 1975, he and his coaching team — including World Champion Grandmaster Jeff Smith and Dr. Greg Moody — have helped owners across the country build stronger, more profitable schools and combat-sports gyms.