From the Mat to the Mountain: Jiu-Jitsu gym opens at The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin

Photos by Cherrie Hanson

A brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Mahmoud Jabr began studying martial arts in middle school and is now owner and coach of Mach5JJ Gym in Franklin. 

As a martial artist, Mahmoud Jabr firmly believes in giving himself a new challenge. He has been competing internationally in Brazilian jiu-jitsu since his teen years, and now, at 25, Jabr is the proud owner of Mach5JJ Gym located in The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin, where he can share the art of jiu-jitsu with his community.

“There’s a lot of people who need help, and I think that jitsu helped me really grow as a person,” Jabr shares. “Some people want to learn self-defense, some people want to become world champion, some of them want to be healthy, or some just want to have fun and bond. It might be hard on the body, but I think jitsu has saved a lot of people’s lives, and I want to help people become the best version of themselves.”

Jabr’s studio decor pays homage to his Palestinian Heritage and  features quotes from a few of his biggest role models, including Prophet Muhammad.

Born in Milwaukee, Mahmoud Jabr lived in Jordan from ages 5 to 15, where he first learned martial arts during middle school. “My dad advised me to do kickboxing,” he recalls.

When he returned to the U.S., Jabr aspired to pursue a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career, so he took up grappling sports like jiu-jitsu and wrestling. Jabr now holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and is sponsored by Pedigo Submission Fighting.

Each class begins with stretching as a good practice to work on flexibility before training.

On why grappling sports connected most with him, Jabr contends, “Grappling feels more like an art than a fight. When I was like 16 or 17, 145 pounds with a few years of striking experience, first going on the mats, I got beat up by someone much smaller than me.”

He likens jiu-jitsu to chess, adding, “If you watch it, you won’t understand it until you train it. You give up a move to take a bigger move. Sometimes you can lose in 20 seconds; sometimes you lose in hours.”

A few years into his training, Jabr began shooting his shot at national tournaments. “Especially from blue, purple, and brown belts, I’m competing against all these guys from the 18 to 30-year-old division, which is the toughest,” he explains.

Despite taking a few losses in the beginning, Jabr’s dedication and discipline would eventually acquire him titles and medals in events like the 2021 Pan American Games in Fort Worth, Texas, the 2023 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship in Long Beach, California, and the 2023-24 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in Miami, Florida.

He has also been on the Jordan National Jiu-Jitsu Team since 2022, which has given him opportunities to compete around the world in places like China, Bahrain, and Thailand.

Jabr affirms, “It’s tough at these tournaments, but I’ve always wanted to challenge myself and see how I’d fare against some of the best in my category.”

He first started teaching kids as a blue belt, eventually moving to adults and doing seminars and private lessons upon acquiring a brown belt. Previously, Jabr taught at CoMotion Fitness in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood.

“In jitsu, your goal shouldn’t be if you beat someone, but that you did better than yesterday,” Jabr notes. “It’s about consistently improving and going upwards.”

Wishing to expand his capacity to coach both kids and adults, Jabr decided in early 2024 that it was time to open a gym of his own. Once he secured the gym’s location at The Rock, it took several months of construction and getting permits from the city before Mach5JJ Gym could finally open its doors this past March. The gym’s name comes from a nickname of Jabr’s.

“It was not easy,” he attests. “I knew it was going to work out and pay off eventually, and it’s already paid off.”

Mach5JJ Gym, located on The Rock’s third floor, is quiet and secluded from the complex’s other facilities. Jabr wanted to keep the space simple while still paying homage to a few sources of inspiration for him.

Immediately to the left of the front door is a massive mural of Arabic calligraphy, painted black and gold to match the Franklin High School colors, designed by VeryRare!NK.

More artistic designs, like a keffiyeh pattern reflecting Jabr’s Palestinian heritage, line the columns in the middle of the mats. The gym walls feature inspiring quotes from a few of his biggest role models, including one from Prophet Muhammad. Around the corner from the front door is a small merchandise section and a refrigerator with items for sale.

“It’s going great so far,” he affirms. “A lot of people are coming in and checking it out.”

Jabr encourages all of his students to give jiu-jitsu a week to see if it is for them. He recalls, “I had a six-year-old boy the other day who was terrified, and I told him that he might not like the first class, but after the second class, he loved it. Now he’s hooked, and I see him every few days.”

Mach5JJ Gym currently offers group jiu-jitsu and muay thai classes for boys and adult men throughout the week, from early morning to evening. The full class schedule is kept up to date on the gym’s website, with private classes on Saturdays only.

Jabr’s goal is to eventually have a woman instructor at Mach5JJ Gym teaching classes for girls and adults.

Grappling is a broad term encompassing various martial arts and combat sports focusing on clinches, holds and groundwork. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), on the other hand, is a specific form of grappling developed in Brazil, heavily influenced by Japanese Judo and traditional Jujutsu. (North American Grappling Association)

The adult Gi Jiu-Jitsu class at Mach5JJ gym, from left to right, Aziz Javid, Omar Abuarqoub, Mahmoud Jabr, Shalayan Ahmad, Kareem Hajsaid and AbdulRahman Jabr