At Adams’ MMA, we teach Street Realistic Self-Defense because real fights aren’t in the ring.

Our system is built from over 40 years of martial arts training, teaching, coaching, and real-world experience.

We combine traditional martial arts, practical self-defense, and personal development to help students become stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Adams’ MMA is heavily influenced by Kajukenbo, one of the first true mixed martial arts systems ever created.

Kajukenbo was founded in Hawaii in the late 1940s at the famous Palama Settlement on Oahu by five martial artists known as the “Black Belt Society.”

Their goal was to create a martial art that truly worked in real street fights and could adapt to any situation.

The founders were Peter Young Yil Choo, Frank Ordonez, Joe Holck, George “Clarence” Chang, and Adriano Emperado, who is widely recognized as the primary founder and leader of Kajukenbo.

The name Kajukenbo comes from the arts used to create the system:

👉 KA – Karate

👉 JU – Judo & Jujitsu

👉 KEN – Kenpo

👉 BO – Chinese Boxing (Kung Fu)

Kajukenbo was designed to be practical, aggressive, adaptable, and effective in real-world self-defense situations.

Unlike many traditional systems that focused mainly on forms or tournament competition, Kajukenbo focused on surviving real violence.

Over the decades, the art continued to evolve by adding techniques and concepts from many different martial arts styles while keeping its core philosophy of realistic self-defense.

Brian Adams, founder of Adams’ MMA, holds a 9th Degree Black Belt in Kajukenbo and has spent decades studying, teaching, and evolving the art.

His training has been influenced by many respected martial artists and instructors over the years, helping shape the practical self-defense system taught today at Adams’ MMA.

Our system is also strongly influenced by Aiki-Jujitsu, the traditional Japanese art focused on leverage, balance, joint locks, throws, control techniques, and using an opponent’s energy against them.

Brian Adams holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Aiki-Jujitsu under Grandmaster Ken Penland, founder of the International Shorinji Ryu Jujitsu Federation.

Ken Penland was a highly respected martial artist, Airborne Ranger, and law enforcement defensive tactics instructor who trained military personnel, police officers, and martial artists for decades.

Through this training lineage, Adams’ MMA incorporates practical control techniques, standing grappling, restraint methods, and defensive tactics alongside striking and self-defense training.

At Adams’ MMA, we blend Kajukenbo, Aiki-Jujitsu, Goju-Ryu Karate, Tai Chi, stand-up grappling, striking, awareness, movement, and Mental Martial Arts into one complete system designed for today’s world.

We offer martial arts classes, self-defense training, anti-bully programs, women’s self-defense, and beginner martial arts classes for kids, teens, adults, and seniors in Surfside Beach, Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Garden City, Conway, and surrounding South Carolina areas.

Whether your goal is confidence, fitness, discipline, personal growth, or learning real-world self-defense, Adams’ MMA is dedicated to helping students become stronger both on and off the mats.