Mixed results here. I was a member for 6 months and really enjoyed the instructors I worked with (Scott and Ben are amazing) and thought everyone in the classes were always very friendly and supportive. At first there was a bit of a sticker shock because of the price, but the reputation of the gym was enough to get past that. This was my first membership at an MMA gym, but I had taken classes and price shopped others in the area to get an idea of what it’s like. It doesn’t take long before you graduate to the next tier of classes though, which adds an additional $20/month to the price. $187/month is A LOT of money for a gym with a contract. There is a small weight lifting area that has all of the basics, but aside from that there aren’t a ton of amenities that justify price other than instructor led classes. Class sizes varied by the day and time, but I always felt like I got the attention I needed to do well. My problem was that I always got a “used car salesman” vibe from the management. Seems like they always had something to sell, or some way to get you to pay more money. They make it very difficult to get out of the 6 month contracts and really push trying to get it all paid for up front and having two forms of payment on file. At one point I had switched my account and caught them before they had tried to withdraw from the wrong one which would’ve resulted in a fee. Ultimately I discontinued my membership because my wife and I are in the process of moving and buying a house and a gym membership elsewhere is 1/3 the cost. They do allow you to cancel the contract if you move outside of a certain radius, but I didn’t really get a good vibe that the process would be very easy or reliable.

During a visit to Portland, I dropped in for a class and it couldn’t have been a better experience. The overall atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, and the instructor was super clear in breaking down the techniques and the reasons and concepts behind why they work. The other students during the open mat portion that I rolled with were all focused on sparring technically and the environment was very safe. After we all got to ask the instructor any questions about techniques which was really cool. Overall it was a great experience and highly recommended.

DO NOT DO THE FREE TRIAL CLASS I went to one free trial class with this gym (thinking I was trying a women's self-defense class when I was not, more on that later) and it turned into a 4 month financial nightmare. The person who took me into the office afterward explained their membership structure and told me I would get a discount for signing up that day. I told her I couldn't do that because I was doing a free trial class with a few other gyms later in the week to compare. She assured me that I could give her my card information but hold off on the first charge for a few weeks, try the other gyms, and if I decided I didn't want to do the membership before the first charge set in I could call and cancel it all. I asked multiple times if I would avoid all charges as long as I called to decline the membership before the first charge date and she reassured me yes. Sure enough, I called early in the morning the day before the first charge/membership was set to start and explained to someone else that I wanted to cancel and that the person I met with assured me I could cancel by said date and avoid all charges. He said that doesn't sound like their policy but it was fine, he just needed to check with the person I met with to confirm she said that and they would get back to me in the afternoon to verify that my membership would be canceled with no charges. They never got back to me. I called several times later in the day and did not get an answer. Worried I would be charged since I never received verification of cancelation, I had to cancel my credit card and have a new one sent. Sure enough, they tried to push a charge through the following day despite assuring me it would be taken care of but thankfully the charge couldn't be processed due to the change in my credit card number. Well, somehow a month and a half later they managed to charge my new card number. They continued charging me 3 months in a row, $167 each, for a total of around $500 before I noticed the fraudulent charges and called my bank. All this while, I was paying interest on these charges and ended up with a late payment fee because I never use this card and didn't expect any charges to show up on it. If I hadn't noticed sooner it could've wrecked my credit too. What's more, when I called my bank, they told me the gym had actually manually input my new credit card number. I've never been back to the gym since that initial visit or given them my new credit card (or even used the physical card as I don't keep it in my wallet) so I have no idea how they got that information. The number was close to my old one so it's almost like they were trying different variations until one worked, especially since the charge showed up 6 weeks after the initial attempt to charge me failed. Sooooo shady!!! ON TOP OF ALL OF THIS, my first trial class was extremely uncomfortable for me. I showed up expecting a women's self defense class (as that's what I inquired about) and was thrown into a jiu jitsu class with all men. I told the person who greeted me that I didn't feel comfortable with that but I felt pressured by them to join the class anyway. I'm not super comfortable with physical touch with strangers, especially men and especially being the only woman in the room with no knowledge of what jiu jitsu even is, and I didn't like that this wasn't even considered by the person who did my intake. This was why I decided not to go with this gym in the first place, and the financial nightmare that ensued was cherry on top. It's too bad they feel they have to pressure folks and engage in scammy behavior because it did seem like a great gym for people who are sure they want to do jiu jitsu and are willing to lock themselves into a contract, but after the way they sneakily charged my card without my knowledge and ignored my calls, I cannot recommend this gym to anyone.

Haven't been here in a few years so may be different but they aren't a gym I'd recommend whatsoever. Unless you wanna get locked in a too expensive contract and not be able to cross train don't go here. Way better gyms in town

Initially, I was nervous and a little reluctant to start training at an MMA gym. I’m the least flexible person that I’ve ever met and I haven’t committed to any form of athletics in years. However, after a month I can safely say that joining SBG was one of the best decisions I’ve made in recent years. I was not sure of what to expect, but I immediately felt welcomed by the entire SBG community. My coaches and peers have all been very accepting and friendly to me. My skill set is still rudimentary, but in this short amount of time I have seen so much growth and have learned so much. I took MMA for a few months when I was living in Japan and in just a few weeks I have learned so much more here than in the few months of training that I’ve had in Japan. Scott and Vanessa are both excellent teachers for stand up. Zach and Justin have also been awesome for Jiu Jitsu. I highly recommend this gym to anyone and everyone interested in learning MMA and self defense.

Just visited from out of town. My experience was limited but good! Zack (sp?), skillfully broke down some foundational guard retention and passing with good detail. Very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. My girlfriend even commented on how the instructor remembered her name and gave her helpful pointers.

Super friendly gym. Coaches are great. The pricing is very fair. They make you feel warm and welcome.

Great gym and very knowledgeable coaches. Traveling thru Portland so I decided to drop in and it was a fantastic experience. Coach James was awesome and showed the side control defense/offense with every detail. Thanks a lot SBG! PS: the monkey rashguard is awesome!

I wanted to get in a few BJJ classes while visiting family, and SBG gave me a fun, flexible gym to do so! I really appreciate the warm welcome from the team. The foundations class with Franklin was solid, and the professors are attentive. I'll definitely come back when I'm in the area again!

I have a friend who trains here and invited me to come check it out, so I dropped in for one of the fundamentals classes a few weeks ago. I'm very new to the sport, and didn't know what to expect from a different gym. Everyone was so friendly from the moment I walked in the door, and the gym has a very welcoming atmosphere. The class was great, the instruction was concise but thorough, and I feel like I benefitted a lot even from just the one class. I also appreciated the number of women in the class, and the availability of a women's changing area. If I lived in Portland I would certainly want to train here regularly. As it is, I'm hoping that I can drop in again in the future and learn more from the great people they have teaching and rolling here. Thank you Straight Blast for letting me come check the gym out!

I have twins that are five years old. They go twice a week. I have nothing but great to say about this place. It’s the best thing the twins have done. Great people. Not only are they learning about self-defense. They teach them about everything on the steps to get where are you from time is it will take longer but if you keep trying you will get your there. It’s been definitely worth the money that we pay. You guys are great keep up the good work

I had a great experience. The coaches are very approachable and kind. The gym overall is very welcoming. I recommend starting with bjj it’s really fun!

My whole family goes here, its great for all ages. Great at teaching kids important life lessons. Will continue to keep coming back.

The Orientation was great! I got my own private lesson! They take their members seriously.

What a great place! Flew in from France for business. Really appreciated their ethos after researching the gym online. I was not disappointed. Instructor was deeply knowledgeable welcoming and helpful. The class mates were mixed abilities but considerate to my newbie status and open (staff even helped me tie my Gi 😅). If I lived in Portland would be here three times a week.

Friendly instructors and solid fundamentals based learning at a tidy facility with a good selection of class times.

I started training here after an almost 10 year hiatus from jiu-jitsu. The instruction, pace, and welcome atmosphere have all been top notch. The mats are always clean, instructors always start on time -- and they're very knowledgable. Jiu-jitsu is the hardest and most frustrating martial art I've studied and I think many people would agree...SBG is set-up really well for complete beginners to start making progress immediately, without getting frustrated or injured. The process of re-learning jiu-jitsu and getting my body back into fighting shape has been really fun. I look forward to training here more.

Everyone at Straight Blast Gym was welcoming and friendly. They offer a wide range of classes, and the facility is clean and spacious. I took Rick and Vanessa’s Foundations- Stand up classes, and both instructors taught techniques with clear instruction and attentiveness to all members in the class. Would definitely commend this gym!

I couldn’t recommend this gym more highly. I started my martial arts journey here and they have been nothing but welcoming and fun. The entire crew that runs the gym and the upper belts and coaches are exactly the kind of people you would want to train with and learn from. Their jiu jitsu is perfect for self defense and competition. This gym is the first of its kind in Oregon and still is one of the best. If you’re looking to get into martial arts, check this gym out first.

Really amazing gym! Incredibly kind, smart coaches. Really inclusive community. Honest, understanding staff. Highly recommend!!

Matt Thornton, the owner of this gym, blocked me on social media when I reported a potential serious safety threat to him. Involving someone who might be a child molestor.