Paris 16, Issy-les-Moulineaux, Étampes: MB Academy is an association of three Brazilian jiu-jitsu and grappling clubs around Paris, founded in 2005 and led by Jean-Louis Mbongo, a 4th degree black belt. Classes seven days a week, one professor surrounded by 7 black belt instructors, and 10 affiliated clubs in France, French Polynesia and Africa, which every member gets free access to.
It is also one of the clubs running its day-to-day on OSS Academy: member tracking, belt progression, internal communication, the club shop and the schedule of all three locations live on a single platform.
A club where everyone has a place
MB Academy fits in one line, its founder’s: a club where everyone has a place. Founded in 2005, it has always aimed to preserve its martial values despite its growth, and to keep a sporting environment where everyone finds their place, around three key values: respect, solidarity, discipline. In practice, that means classes every day of the week, spread over three locations. In Issy-les-Moulineaux, grappling and jiu-jitsu on weeknights, a competition class on Thursdays, a fundamentals class on Saturdays and an open mat on Sundays. In Étampes, jiu-jitsu, grappling and weekend open mats, with kids classes from age 3 to 16. In Paris 16, a jiu-jitsu class on Tuesday evenings.
On the mats, the beginner who just tied their first belt trains next to the competitor preparing a championship, and the kids train in the same club as their parents. One professor and seven black belt instructors run the whole thing.
Jean-Louis Mbongo, from Brazil to Paris
Jean-Louis Mbongo discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2000 at the Temple des Arts Martiaux in Paris, under professors from Brazil. For close to twenty years he travelled back and forth to Rio de Janeiro to train with Orla and with Alexandre Paiva, one of the co-founders of team Alliance. As a competitor, he entered every Rio world championship between 2000 and 2006 and reached the European podium three times, as European runner-up in 2002, 2004 and 2007.
In 2005 he founded MB Academy. He received his black belt from Orla in 2008, then his successive degrees, up to the 4th degree he wears today. Within the CFJJB, the French BJJ federation, he heads the national para-jiu-jitsu committee and sits on the national belt committee. He is also a 5th degree black belt in American Kenpo 5.0, which he teaches in the same club.
An affiliator, not an affiliate
MB Academy is affiliated to no team. It is the one affiliating clubs that want to structure themselves: ten clubs today, in France, French Polynesia and Africa, sharing the same teaching and the same badge. And every member gets free access to all affiliated clubs: a member passing through Loctudy, Tulle or Douala trains at home.
From gi to no-gi, a team that competes
The club supports its students who want to compete, in the gi and no-gi, on the IBJJF, CFJJB and UAEJJF circuits. Competitor or hobbyist, the aim is first to progress together, and the club shares its values as much as its colours: for the sake of unity, MB Academy requires the official club uniform in class and in competition. A competition class in Issy-les-Moulineaux and open mats every weekend round out the schedule.
And at the end of class, the founder stands facing his students, arms open, the club badge on his back.
How the club uses OSS Academy
For Jean-Louis, it all came down to meeting the founders of OSS Academy: a collaboration that felt natural between two organisations born out of passion, with a shared ambition, the growth of BJJ.
Day to day, MB Academy relies on the app for:
- Member tracking: three clubs, one member base, every member and their attendance in one place
- Belt progression tracking: belts, degrees and promotions of every student followed in the app, for a founder who sits on the national belt committee
- Internal communication: club news reaches members directly in the app, with no chat group to manage
- The club shop: gis, rashguards and shorts in MB Academy colours are ordered from the app
- The club’s public page: the addresses, the team and the schedule of all three locations are online on OSS Academy, and newcomers join the club straight from the page
Do you run a BJJ, grappling or combat sports academy? Create your academy on OSS Academy and focus on what matters: your students.
Jean-Louis Mbongo
Founder and head coach
4th degree black belt, head of the CFJJB national para-jiu-jitsu committee
@jeanlouismbongo
