Inferno Jiu Jitsu Istanbul Review: BJJ in Türkiye

Review based on three months of training in 2023; refreshed August 2026. Inferno Jiu Jitsu in Istanbul was a competitive, friendly gym where I trained regularly with Özdemir Kızılkan and the team. I have kept this as a firsthand review rather than pretending I can verify a 2023 class timetable and Turkish-lira price as current.

What Inferno Jiu Jitsu was like

Inferno is in Kadıköy on Istanbul’s Asian side. During my stay it had the feel of a young competition gym: informal, technically serious and full of people who actually wanted hard rounds.

I was a hobbyist blue belt, not a competitor, and the level forced me to improve quickly. The white and blue belts were often young, athletic and comfortable wrestling from standing. If your normal gym starts most rounds from the knees, expect an adjustment.

Culture and coaching

Özdemir was a BJJ black belt and the head coach when I trained there. The culture around him was relaxed without being careless. People lined up by belt at the start and end, but there was little of the hierarchy you sometimes find in more traditional BJJ schools.

The local term you hear for a coach or teacher is hocam, literally “my teacher”. You do not have to use it as a foreign visitor, but it is a useful word to know.

Gi, no-gi and wrestling

During my stay, Inferno had both gi and no-gi sessions, with a strong no-gi and competition emphasis. Wrestling and takedowns were normal parts of training rather than something saved for the month before a tournament.

That was one of the most useful parts for me. I had spent a lot more time doing groundwork than stand-up grappling, and Inferno made it hard to hide that weakness.

Can beginners train at Inferno?

Yes. There were beginner sessions when I trained there. The main sessions, though, could be hard work for a new white belt because many regulars trained with competition intensity.

If you are dropping in, tell the coach your experience level and any injuries before class. Do the same with your first sparring partners. A competitive gym can still be a good place for a visitor when everyone knows what sort of round they are agreeing to.

Do you need Turkish?

No. Özdemir spoke excellent English during my stay, and many students spoke enough English that I never felt unable to participate. I still learned Turkish because that was part of why I was living in Istanbul.

Useful words include yavaş for slowly, dikkat for careful/attention, bitti for finished, and teşekkür ederim for thank you. If you’re studying Turkish more broadly, see my Turkish grammar overview.

Finding the gym

Inferno was inside the East Side Sport Centre in a residential complex in Kadıköy. It took me a couple of attempts to find the entrance the first time, which is why I made the image above.

I would still arrive early on your first visit, but check the gym’s current social profile or contact the team before relying on a three-year-old access route.

Current schedule and fees

The original article listed the exact 2023 schedule and converted the fee to about US$50 a month. Turkish prices have changed too quickly for that to be useful in 2026, and gym timetables also change. I have therefore removed those figures from the current guide.

Contact Inferno directly for the current gi/no-gi timetable, drop-in policy, monthly membership and private-training prices. If you are visiting from the European side, also factor the cross-city travel time into your decision; Istanbul is large enough that the best gym for you is often the good gym you can actually reach consistently.

Would I train there again?

Definitely. Inferno suited me because I wanted hard no-gi rounds, more wrestling and a local community rather than a visitor-oriented academy. If you are a pure hobbyist who wants very gentle rolls, tell people that clearly. If you like being pushed, this was a very good room for it.

After Istanbul I trained at 10th Planet in Orange County, which was a very different no-gi experience.