Fight Science MMA Kids Program
Fight Science MMA, 4713 W. Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
About
The Fight Science MMA Kids Program includes MMA striking with an emphasis on boxing and kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, resistance training, bodyweight exercises, and both aerobic and anaerobic cardio workouts. The kids’ program also includes anti-bullying and self-defense training, along with a focus on discipline and fitness. Students are instructed to bring a towel and personal items if they plan to use the shower after class.
The Fight Science method began in 2003, and the first Fight Science MMA Training Center opened in Mid-City Los Angeles in 2017. The gym describes its goal as teaching cutting-edge, scientifically proven methods of self-protection, fighting, and fitness to promote health, humility, self-respect, and respect for others while continuing to build its MMA fight team.
Ian Harris is the founder of the Fight Science method and head coach; he developed Fight Science and began training fighters under the Fight Science MMA banner in 2003 and opened the first Fight Science MMA Training Center in Mid-City Los Angeles in 2017 with former fighters. He has nearly 40 years of martial arts experience, holds a black belt in KenJuKai, originally trained in KenJuKai (a hybrid of Kenpo, Wing Chun, and Japanese Jujitsu), trained under Bruce Lee student Richard Bustillo learning JKD, Muay Thai, Filipino Martial Arts, Boxing, and Shooto, began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1995 under Claudio Franca, and received his black belt from UFC fighter Pedro Munhoz. Julian Rush, an early student and fighter who co-opened the first Fight Science gym in Mid City in August 2017, has over 25 years of martial arts training in Boxing, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Krav Maga, Haganah, and TFT, competed in BJJ tournaments from 1997–2005 and MMA from 2004–2007 under Coach Ian Harris, and won the Total Fighting Alliance Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and defended it until retiring in late 2007. Leo Hirai, also an early student and fighter who co-opened the first Fight Science gym in Mid City in August 2017, began martial arts with Aikido at age 12, started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1999 at UCLA through a BJJ club founded by Rickson Gracie, organized and competed in amateur fights at the John Wooden Center, specialized in Sambo-style leg locks, and fought for Shooto in their inaugural Shooto USA event in 2007. Chris “Taco” Padilla, who heads the Kids’ program at Fight Science MMA, has fought and competed since he was a teenager and has a professional record of 9-3-0 and an amateur record of 6-0-0.
Two of the original students, Chad George and Julian Rush, became two of the first champions under California-sanctioned MMA, and Julian Rush held the Total Fighting Alliance Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and defended it until late 2007. The gym states that it applies technical and scientific methods to martial arts and fitness and approaches fighting, striking, grappling, weight-loss, self-defense, mental toughness, and fitness from a scientific, fact-based, and intellectual point of view. The gym describes itself as family-friendly, notes a focus on anti-bullying, self-defense, discipline, and fitness in its kids’ programming, and includes a shower that students can use after class.
Last updated July 5, 2026.
The Fight Science method began in 2003, and the first Fight Science MMA Training Center opened in Mid-City Los Angeles in 2017. The gym describes its goal as teaching cutting-edge, scientifically proven methods of self-protection, fighting, and fitness to promote health, humility, self-respect, and respect for others while continuing to build its MMA fight team.
Ian Harris is the founder of the Fight Science method and head coach; he developed Fight Science and began training fighters under the Fight Science MMA banner in 2003 and opened the first Fight Science MMA Training Center in Mid-City Los Angeles in 2017 with former fighters. He has nearly 40 years of martial arts experience, holds a black belt in KenJuKai, originally trained in KenJuKai (a hybrid of Kenpo, Wing Chun, and Japanese Jujitsu), trained under Bruce Lee student Richard Bustillo learning JKD, Muay Thai, Filipino Martial Arts, Boxing, and Shooto, began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1995 under Claudio Franca, and received his black belt from UFC fighter Pedro Munhoz. Julian Rush, an early student and fighter who co-opened the first Fight Science gym in Mid City in August 2017, has over 25 years of martial arts training in Boxing, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Krav Maga, Haganah, and TFT, competed in BJJ tournaments from 1997–2005 and MMA from 2004–2007 under Coach Ian Harris, and won the Total Fighting Alliance Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and defended it until retiring in late 2007. Leo Hirai, also an early student and fighter who co-opened the first Fight Science gym in Mid City in August 2017, began martial arts with Aikido at age 12, started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1999 at UCLA through a BJJ club founded by Rickson Gracie, organized and competed in amateur fights at the John Wooden Center, specialized in Sambo-style leg locks, and fought for Shooto in their inaugural Shooto USA event in 2007. Chris “Taco” Padilla, who heads the Kids’ program at Fight Science MMA, has fought and competed since he was a teenager and has a professional record of 9-3-0 and an amateur record of 6-0-0.
Two of the original students, Chad George and Julian Rush, became two of the first champions under California-sanctioned MMA, and Julian Rush held the Total Fighting Alliance Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and defended it until late 2007. The gym states that it applies technical and scientific methods to martial arts and fitness and approaches fighting, striking, grappling, weight-loss, self-defense, mental toughness, and fitness from a scientific, fact-based, and intellectual point of view. The gym describes itself as family-friendly, notes a focus on anti-bullying, self-defense, discipline, and fitness in its kids’ programming, and includes a shower that students can use after class.
Last updated July 5, 2026.
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