Greg Jackson in 2010
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Est. | 1992 |
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Founded by | Greg Jackson |
Primary trainers | Greg Jackson Mike Winkeljohn Brandon Gibson Izzy Martinez Chad Smith Harry St. Leger Roberto Alencar Rafael Freitas |
Training facilities | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Website | Official website |
Greg Jackson (born 1974) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) trainer who co-owns Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, widely considered the top MMA training camp in the world. Jackson has trained many successful fighters, including former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm, former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, former Light Heavyweight Champions Rashad Evans and Jon Jones, and a roster of other UFC contenders and World Extreme Cagefighting champions.
Greg Jackson was born in Washington D.C. to Kris and Jim Jackson, who were Quakers originally from the Midwest. Jackson and his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico when he was three years old. Jackson came from a family of wrestlers (his father, brother, and uncle were all champions in the sport) and he also grew up in a rough neighborhood. Because he needed to learn how to defend himself, Jackson began learning martial arts. While the young Jackson was occasionally passive in fighting, he would also be an aggressor in brawls and was suspended from school on more than one occasion. In 1992, after graduating from Rio Grande High School Jackson founded his own martial art, Gaidojutsu, which combines rudimentary techniques from wrestling and kickboxing with basic judo locks. He then developed his art by adding techniques from other styles such as wrestling, grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing. His school officially turned into an MMA school in 2000. In 2007 Jackson teamed up with striking coach Mike Winkeljohn, and since then the gym has been known by the name Jackson Wink MMA Academy (JW MMA Academy)