# Hayastein grappling or BJJ



## psilent child (Jul 21, 2018)

I would like to take one of them but I’m not sure which one.  What do you guys think? I don’t know much about hayastein grappling but from the little bit I saw it seems cool. I’m not asking which one is best. I’m just trying to get some opinion on the arts from people that know more about them than me. I currently take a Kajukenbo and I want to add a ground game.


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## Tony Dismukes (Jul 21, 2018)

Both are good. BJJ you can find just about anywhere these days. If you have access to a legit Hayastein instructor I would at least check it out because that is much more rare.


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## TSDTexan (Jul 21, 2018)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Both are good. BJJ you can find just about anywhere these days. If you have access to a legit Hayastein instructor I would at least check it out because that is much more rare.


You beat me to the post, and said what I would have said. But you can wind up moving around and get back into a bjj school.

I would take the heyastan. Gene "Judo" LaBell created a modern martial art that is pretty good.

I wish I had been at one of these schools instead of the more vanilla judo gyms when I was in my college days.

@psilent child
I would like to know what the organization is that the BJJ school is under.

I have a slightly higher preference for Rickson Affiliated Accadmies that teach the more SD based curriculum, then the sport bjj schools that come from the others. But it's all valuable.


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## JR 137 (Jul 21, 2018)

It’s HAYASTAN, not Hayastein.  Sorry, as an Armenian who’s fluent in it, I had to point it out   Hayastan is “Armenia” in Armenian, kind of like Espana is Spain in Spanish, but I digress.

Hayastan grappling is “Judo” Gene Labelle and Gokor Chivichyan’s system of grappling/MMA.  Chivichyan is Armenian, and their dojo in California is full of Armenians, hence the Hayastan name.

Both guys are legit as they come.  Knowing their backgrounds, I’m assuming their grappling is a blend of Judo, sambo, jujitsu, and a few forms of wrestling.  Chivichyan was/is a high ranking judoka, wrestler, and sambo guy.  Labelle was MMA before MMA was a thing.  

Definitely worth going in and seeing what’s going on.  Ask whoever’s in charge what’s what and make your decision from there.


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## TSDTexan (Jul 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> It’s HAYASTAN, not Hayastein.  Sorry, as an Armenian who’s fluent in it, I had to point it out   Hayastan is “Armenia” in Armenian, kind of like Espana is Spain in Spanish, but I digress.
> 
> Hayastan grappling is “Judo” Gene Labelle and Gokor Chivichyan’s system of grappling/MMA.  Chivichyan is Armenian, and their dojo in California is full of Armenians, hence the Hayastan name.
> 
> ...



Yes, I forgot to include Gokor Chivichyan in my post.
And I had meant to. LeBell is quite the guy... word is that he claims the Grace's were ducking him for early fights upon the introduction of BJJ to the American scene.


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## Xue Sheng (Jul 21, 2018)

Hayastan MMA

Me Personally, I'd go with Hayastan, but then I have been impressed by Gene Labell for many years


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## JR 137 (Jul 21, 2018)

TSDTexan said:


> Yes, I forgot to include Gokor Chivichyan in my post.
> And I had meant to. LeBell is quite the guy... word is that he claims the Grace's were ducking him for early fights upon the introduction of BJJ to the American scene.


LeBell claimed that Royce (I think) Gracie challenged him.  LeBell accepted on the condition that he also fights Helio Gracie, either immediately before or immediately after, I can’t remember which.  He said that Helio was his contemporary and Royce wasn’t, but he’d gladly fight him and any other Gracie too.  They allegedly never answered.

LeBell says a lot of stuff though, and it’s kind of hard to know what is true and what is a stretch.  Quite a few of his statements have been proven wrong and a lot of others have been proven right over the years.  You unfortunately have to take everything he says with a grain of salt.


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## psilent child (Jul 21, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> It’s HAYASTAN, not Hayastein.  Sorry, as an Armenian who’s fluent in it, I had to point it out   Hayastan is “Armenia” in Armenian, kind of like Espana is Spain in Spanish, but I digress.
> 
> Hayastan grappling is “Judo” Gene Labelle and Gokor Chivichyan’s system of grappling/MMA.  Chivichyan is Armenian, and their dojo in California is full of Armenians, hence the Hayastan name.
> 
> ...


I apologize. I started typing it in my phone and that spelling is what popped up so I just assumed that was the correct spelling.


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## psilent child (Jul 21, 2018)

According their website there is a hayastan grappling place. My only issue is it’s $150 a month. They teach several different classes there.


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## TSDTexan (Jul 21, 2018)

psilent child said:


> According their website there is a hayastan grappling place. My only issue is it’s $150 a month. They teach several different classes there.



Something's are worth the money spent. and it's a supply and demand thing. If its unaffordable, pick something you can afford, or talk to them and try and negotiate a lower price you can afford, and show that you earnestly want to learn and someday teach. It never hurts to ask.

Offer to do their lawn care or be willing to do things other then pay cash.


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## JR 137 (Jul 22, 2018)

psilent child said:


> I apologize. I started typing it in my phone and that spelling is what popped up so I just assumed that was the correct spelling.


No offense taken at all, hence the smiley.


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## JR 137 (Jul 22, 2018)

psilent child said:


> According their website there is a hayastan grappling place. My only issue is it’s $150 a month. They teach several different classes there.


If you’re looking into their North Hollywood dojo where Chivichyan and LeBell teach and train, it’s easily worth the cost on paper IMO.  I mean, McDojos can charge more than that, and their list of students tells me it’s anything but McDojo.  If it’s an affiliated dojo, I don’t have an opinion either way. 

If $150 is too much for you (it’s definitely not cheap), it wouldn’t hurt to ask about working out a deal.  What’s the worst that can happen; them saying no?  Hollywood isn’t exactly a cheap place to live and do business, so $150/month isn’t excessive.  I’m in the Albany, NY area and the cost of living is significantly cheaper.  Commercial dojos here average around $125, so I’d say their $150 is far more reasonable than our $125 if you adjust for the difference.  

If you can’t afford it, look elsewhere.  There’s no shame in that.  I can’t afford a Porsche Panamera, so I bought a Toyota Highlander.  No shame in that either.


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## Rice Nachos (Jul 22, 2018)

I was curious about Hayastan and came across this discussion from the BJJ Reddit. r/bjj - Opinion on the Hayastan System?


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## psilent child (Jul 22, 2018)

I’m looking at a location in Texas.


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## JR 137 (Jul 22, 2018)

psilent child said:


> I’m looking at a location in Texas.


I’m assuming this is it?
Dominion MMA - Multi Discipline Combat Sports Classes - San Antonio TX

Like every other dojo that gets asked about, stop in and check it out.  It could be a great place, or it could be crap.  I don’t see any instructor bios nor similar, so I find that kind of odd.  All I see under each art is a description of the art itself and not any dojo-specific information.  Maybe I’m not looking in the right places?

Edit:  I found instructor bios.  They say a lot, but somehow don’t say much either, such as who they trained under and when.  Not a knock on them though, as websites don’t mean much more to me than “come check us out” IMO.


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## psilent child (Jul 23, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> I’m assuming this is it?
> Dominion MMA - Multi Discipline Combat Sports Classes - San Antonio TX
> 
> Like every other dojo that gets asked about, stop in and check it out.  It could be a great place, or it could be crap.  I don’t see any instructor bios nor similar, so I find that kind of odd.  All I see under each art is a description of the art itself and not any dojo-specific information.  Maybe I’m not looking in the right places?
> ...


Yes I’m talking about Dominion.


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## Xue Sheng (Jul 23, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> I’m assuming this is it?
> Dominion MMA - Multi Discipline Combat Sports Classes - San Antonio TX
> 
> Like every other dojo that gets asked about, stop in and check it out.  It could be a great place, or it could be crap.  I don’t see any instructor bios nor similar, so I find that kind of odd.  All I see under each art is a description of the art itself and not any dojo-specific information.  Maybe I’m not looking in the right places?
> ...



Ray Rodriguez is listed as an affiliate on the Hayastan site

https://www.gokor.com/affiliates

And on his own site he has "Hayastan MMA Certified Coach under Gokor."

Rey Rodriguez | Dominion MMA


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## JR 137 (Jul 23, 2018)

Xue Sheng said:


> Ray Rodriguez is listed as an affiliate on the Hayastan site
> 
> https://www.gokor.com/affiliates
> 
> ...


I got the initial page from Hayastan’s page


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## Brian R. VanCise (Jul 24, 2018)

As someone who has extensive experience in BJJ and also trained with some people in Gokor's system they are both good.  Tony points out that training in BJJ has an advantage because their are instructors everywhere now.


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