Jay Isip, Owner & Founder of Buctown MMA, began his Martial Arts journey at Olympic Karate in 1989 at the age of 7. Growing up, he dabbled in other arts; Aikido, Savat, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Western Boxing, and Wrestling. When he discovered Wrestling, combat sports became a staple activity in his life.
In 2000, after a four-year varsity wrestling career at Belleville High School, Jay decided to move on to the MMA world. He found a Martial Arts Gym in Elizabeth, NJ called BAMA, founded by UFC referee "Big Dan" Mirigliotta. Training with his brothers Pete Isip and Timmy Hands, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Western Boxing, and Wrestling were a must practice before stepping in the ring or cage. A year later at age 19, Jay Isip competed at BAMA FIGHT NIGHT for his 1st ever fisticuffs inside a "pro-wrestling" ring that landed in the South Plainfield Middle School Gymnasium.
Four amateur fights later, in 2003, Isip went pro and fought his debut against the UFC Vet Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino. Even though Coach Jay's fighting career was rocky, he went toe-to-toe with some of the best Mixed Martial artists during the early stages of his career.
After years of training under Eddie "The Tech" Rolon and Team Endgame, in 2008, Coach Jay moved to Belmar, NJ, to train under previous opponent Kurt Pellegrino (Marcello Garcia Black Belt), and swap blood, sweat, and tears with one of the toughest teams in NJ - Pellegrino MMA. A group of hard-nosed hungry fighters packed with skills and grit that all shared the same dream. Some made it to high-level events like; UFC & Bellator - some didn't, but the experiences these fighters went through together holds the true title.
After 16 pro-fights with CFFC, ROC, Reality Fighting, Mass Destruction, and Sport Fighting, Coach Jay put an end to his fight career and moved back to his hometown in 2016, where he became a volunteer coach for Belleville Wrestling. That was when Coach Pete Isip (Founder of KRANK SYSTEMS) opened the doors to his gym, which enabled the coaches to train wrestlers off-season. Coach Jay and other volunteers trained with the athletes, but most importantly, they developed a bond and re-created a culture that has been a staple in our community for decades - "The Family." We carry this stamp on our backs with honor as we nod our heads to the alumni who paved the road for us.
Through this paved road and our community's support, Buctown MMA was born. We've created an open-minded space for adults & kids to grow and be a part of a sprouting culture that continues to carry on. Buctown is a safe space where labels do not exist and you can feel comfortable to express yourself freely while connecting with others in ways you can't experience anywhere else besides on a mat.
Martial Arts teaches us lessons that constantly evolve our mind, body, and spirit. Our mission is to continue spreading wisdom and expanding our philosophy through; Wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Meditation, Strength & Conditioning, and more. We are focused on developing character through an array of positive qualities; accountability, discipline, athleticism, self-defense, responsibility, mental resilience, teamwork & leadership skills, creativity. Adult to youth, all skill levels, we welcome you.
To everyone who has supported and continues to support our journey,
WE THANK YOU.
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